14. social and economic - transport.act.gov.au

Parsons Brinckerhoff | 2207526A-ENV-RPT-007 RevC 317

Capital Metro Authority Capital Metro Light Rail Stage 1 — Gungahlin to CivicDraft Environmental Impact Statement

14. Social and economicThis Chapter outlines the potential social and economic impacts associated with the construction andoperation of the Project. This Chapter provides a summary of the Socioeconomic Impact Assessmentprepared by SGS Economics contained as Technical Paper 10 in Volume 3 of this EIS.

The Project PEA (Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2014a) initial risk assessment for the Project identified the potentialsocial and economic impacts risks presented in Table 14.1 below.

Table 14.1 Initial social and economic impacts risks associated with the Project

ID Potential impact Likelihood Consequence Risk rating

J.1Impacts to the operation of local businesses due to perceivedadverse amenity and access constraints leading to reducedpassing trade.

Possible Minor Low

J.2Removal of existing roadside memorials which are within thefootprint of the Project, such as those associated/attached toexisting trees along Northbourne Avenue.

AlmostCertain Moderate Very high

J.3 Impact on local communities during construction, includingreduction in amenity (such as noise, dust and visual impacts). Likely Moderate High

J.4 Creates the potential for local access to residential, businesscommunity facilities along the alignment.

AlmostCertain Positive Beneficial

J.5Potential for the community to perceive that the light railinfrastructure will create a barrier between the east and westsides of Northbourne Avenue/Flemington Road.

Possible Moderate High

14.1 Environmental conditions and values

Population along the light rail corridor

The population of the ACT is currently 385,996 (ABS, 2015). It is projected to reach 400,000 by 2017 and500,000 by 2033. ACT Government population projections by suburb (ACT Government, 2009) show that thegreatest population growth in Canberra is expected to be in Gungahlin, the new developments of Molonglo,the inner north (including areas such as Braddon, Turner and Civic) and inner south (south of Lake BurleyGriffin). Gungahlin/Hall is expected to grow by an estimated 58.6 percent between 2007 and 2019, the innernorth is expected to grow by an estimated 17.6 percent.

Of the 10 most densely populated suburbs in the ACT, 6 are on the Project route and a further three arewithin 2 kilometres of the light rail route (walking or cycling distance). Only Banks (in Tuggeranong) is locatedaway from the Project. In total, 48,446 people live in suburbs adjacent to the light rail route, and82,446 people, or 21 percent of Canberra’s population, live in suburbs within approximately 1 kilometre of theProject alignment.

Census data from 2011 can show greater detail on where people live. Figure 14.1 provides a detailed map ofpopulation density (2011 data) along the Project alignment, and Table 14.2 provides an estimate of thenumber of people living within approximately 500 metres of each of the proposed light rail stops.

318 2207526A-ENV-RPT-007 RevC | Parsons Brinckerhoff


Source: SGS, Economics, Technical Paper 10

Figure 14.1 Population density along the Project alignment



Table 14.2 Population living with 500 metres of a light rail stop

Light rail stop Population within approximately 500 m of a proposed stop

Gungahlin Place stop (Gungahlin terminus) 1,100

Manning Clark Crescent stop 967

Nullarbor Avenue stop 622

Mapleton Avenue stop 1,449

Wells Station Drive stop 194

EPIC stop 8

Phillip Avenue stop 734

Swinden Street stop 825

Dickson stop 959

Macarthur Avenue stop 1,933

Condamine Street stop 3,581

Elouera Street stop 2,371

Alinga Street stop (City terminus) 2,303

Source: SGS, 2015 Note: The data on which this figure was based is from the most recent Census (2011)

Some areas have become more densely populated since the census data was taken or are expected tobecome more densely populated in the future. For example, in Harrison, along Flemington Road between theMapleton Avenue, Nullarbor Avenue and Well Station Drive stops, population density is shown as very low.This is because at the time the Census was collected, these Flemington Road sites were undeveloped. Nowmost of these street front properties have been developed with medium rise residential and business use, orare under construction.

Sensitive receivers

Sensitive receivers are those who are potentially impacted on by the Project; there are varying degrees of‘sensitivity’ to impacts. A number of community and business stakeholders located near the Project wouldhave the potential to be impacted by it. While not considered sensitive receivers in conventional terms, otheruses such as recreational areas, public space and places of work may also be influenced by amenity andenvironmental impacts. Table 14.3 identifies potential sensitive receivers.

Table 14.3 Potential sensitive receivers

Type of sensitivereceivers Comment Specific examples

Local residents The Project would affect a number of local residents,particularly those located within streets immediately next tothe proposed Project alignment, as well as residents locatedwithin streets that provide access to the work sites forconstruction vehicles.

Generally medium densitydevelopments withinGungahlin and alongFlemington Road. Lowerdensity residential along mostof Northbourne Avenue northof Civic.

Local businesses The Project would affects a number of local businesses,particularly those located within streets immediately next tothe Project alignment, as well as businesses located withinstreets that provide access to the work sites for constructionvehicles.

Local businesses and officesare the dominant land usewithin Civic and around nodessuch as Dickson.



Type of sensitivereceivers Comment Specific examples

Child care centres A number of child care centres are located within 100 metresof the Project alignment.

Goodstart Early Learning –Braddon and Turner, FranklinEarly Childhood School

Educationalfacilities

There are a number of educational facilities, where theaffected community comprises staff, students and residentfamilies.

Mother Teresa CatholicPrimary School, HarrisonSchool, Lyneham High School,Turner School

Religious andcommunity centres

The Project alignment would pass a number of churches andcommunity centres.

Twin City Church, Gungahlin,North Canberra BaptistChurch, Uniting Church, Civic

Entertainment,leisure facilities, andrecreational areas

There are a number of parks and recreation grounds withinthe vicinity of the Project alignment, as well as restaurantsand cafes.

Gubur Dhaura Heritage Park,Harrison District PlayingFields, EPIC, Yowani CountryClub, Canberra Racecourse,Haig Park

14.2 InvestigationsA desktop assessment of potential social and economic impacts associated with the Project was undertakenas part of the Socioeconomic Impact Assessment by SGS Economics (Technical Paper 10). The social andeconomic impact study assessed the level of impact on an economic or social activity within the study areaand determined if it would have a positive or negative impact. The assessment of likely impacts resultingfrom a particular proposal allows for the identification, prediction and, where possible, quantification ofimpacts as either likely benefits or negative impacts.

To assess the social and economic impacts of the Project the assessment included:

an overview of the existing demographic, social and planning environment in which the Project wouldoperate

a description of the socioeconomic impacts that are likely to occur

consideration of these impacts using an Impact Significance Framework, classifying them according totheir type, significance, population impacted and whether they require mitigation.

14.3 Potential impacts

14.3.1 Positive economic impacts

A number of positive economic impacts are anticipated to occur during construction and operation of theProject. The net present value of the Project has been estimated as approximately $161 million, with abenefit cost ratio of 1.2 (including transport benefits, land use benefits and wider economic impacts)(ACT Government, 2014d). The benefits quantified in the Project Business Case included time savings worth$222 million, public transport operating savings of $54 million, land use benefits of $381 million and widereconomic impacts of $198 million.



Time savings and transport benefits

The principal transport benefits from the Project would result from a reduction in total journey costs betweenGungahlin and Civic. These include benefits to continuing users (those people who currently use publictransport) and changing users (people whose mode of travel changes as a result of the Project).These benefits are expected to include increased amenity and reliability of the Project relative to alternativeforms of transport and lower vehicle operating costs.

Public transport cost/fares

The Project would result in cost savings on bus services, as certain bus routes that operated along theProject corridor that would no longer be necessary, or can be run at reduced frequency. The ProjectBusiness Case (ACT Government, 2014d) estimated that the average fare per passenger on the Projectwould be $1.01 per trip (2014 dollars). This was based on the average 2014/2015 fare of $1.35 per trip, witha 25 percent discount to allow for the possibility of free interchanges between bus and light rail(ACT Government, 2014d, p136).

As noted in section 2.2.5, ticketing for the Project would be incorporated with the ACTION MyWay ticketingsystem, to ensure connections between the two are consistent. Whilst a formal ticket pricing system for thelight rail has not yet been designed, the ticket pricing for the Project would be commensurate with existingACTION ticket pricing at the time of Project commencement. This would include consideration of potentialfare impacts associated with mode changes between existing bus services and the Project.

Final fare and ticket prices would be determined prior to the commencement of operations.

Housing supply and density uplift

The Project would support the ACT Government’s policy objective to improve housing supply, and increasingdensities along the alignment. It would also improve the work/life balance of existing and new residents thatlive on or adjacent to the proposed alignment by providing improved access to homes, jobs, services andrecreation facilities. Finally, the Project would drive improvements to amenity and liveability through publicdomain upgrades and the activation of streets and public spaces. Businesses, residents and visitors alikewould benefit from streetscape improvements made to Flemington Road, the Federal Highway andNorthbourne Avenue, in particular for suburbs such as Gungahlin and Dickson which have previously beenidentified as having existing master plans which aim to improve and further develop these areas.

Wider economic benefits

Wider economic benefits outside of the immediate vicinity of the Project alignment are also anticipated as aresult of the operation of the Project. These indirect benefits arise from:

reduced travel time between workers and jobs effectively bringing them closer together

competition benefits from firms locating closer together, such as around light rail stops allowing forincreased comparability of their products and services

improved labour supply as improved transport availability to jobs would lead to greaterproductivity/efficiency of workers.



Business viability

Owing to the potential cumulative effect of the positive outcomes of the Project on the wider region andimproved access, local businesses along the alignment would be expected to benefit from potentialincreased turnover, improving the overall viability of their businesses once the Project is operational. As aresult of the likely enhanced attraction of locating a business in close proximity to the Project, the proposedlight rail stops along the alignment, in particular the stop within the pedestrianised section ofHibberson Street and near Dickson, competition for space (and thereby commercial rents) could alsoincrease across the wider region. This would represent a benefit for landowners.

In addition to the potential benefits during operation, the Project would present potential for increased tradeduring construction. This benefit is most likely to be experienced by businesses located in close proximity toconstruction sites or on routes to construction sites that sell goods to construction workers or relatedindustries such as service stations, take-away food shops and hotels.

14.3.2 Negative economic impacts

Some negative economic impacts may also arise as a result of the Project. These are briefly discussedbelow.

Disruption to local businesses during construction

Some business may experience temporary disruption and access constraints due to perceived or actualseverance during the construction of the Project (discussed in more detail below). They may also experiencea temporary loss of visual amenity.

Impacts to businesses may also occur as a result of traffic delays and congestion may be both direct andindirect. Businesses may be directly affected as a result of a delayed or hindered access to work places orservicing areas owing to local traffic constraints and congestion. A business may be indirectly affected byincreased traffic and therefore travel times for staff or deliveries on major thoroughfares along the alignment.Additional impacts may result from the redirection of buses as part of the proposed reconfiguration of theexisting network.

The loss of power and utilities during construction, due to accidental or planned shutdowns of electricity orother utilities to enable construction works may also result in a negative impact to local businesses. Whilstsignificant advance notice would be given to all businesses of a power or utility shutdown, accidental eventswould be more difficult to manage.

Changes to existing arrangements for ACT government operations

The ACT Government has responsibility for maintaining and servicing the land along the Project alignment,through TAMS. As discussed in section 2.2.5 of this EIS, upon commencement of operations, responsibilityfor some aspects of maintenance would be transferred to Project Co. The construction process and theoperation of the Project may cause disruption to some TAMS operations, such as rubbish collection,roadworks and maintenance, which many increase the costs of performing them.

The infrastructure and landscape maintenance responsibilities associated with the Project, in addition totemporary arrangements during construction, would be negotiated through ongoing consultation andagreement between CMA, Project Co and TAMS during the design and construction phase. Duringconstruction, this may involve Project Co or TAMS providing access to the other party, so that each canensure the areas surrounding the Project are maintained to a suitable standard within their areas ofresponsibility.



14.3.3 Social impacts

The social impacts of the Project are expected to be positive. The potential social impacts of the Project arebriefly discussed below.

Improved mobility and social cohesion

The Project is expected to improve mobility and social cohesion by allowing people to connect more easilywith employment opportunities, social activities and services. In particular, it would improve transport optionsfor people who do not have cars, who live in outer suburbs or who are mobility impaired. The Project wouldbe designed to allow for wheelchair access, to ensure those with disabilities can access its benefits; andbicycle access to expand the potential reach and usage of the Project.

The Project would encourage improvement to the existing amenity of the area along the route, improve theambience for pedestrians and communities through a redesign of outdoor areas and improved pedestriancrossings, thus improving social cohesion.

Impacts on roadside memorials and to objects/sites of indigenous cultural significance

The Project poses a risk of loss or damage to on roadside memorial sites which are currently located withinthe Project impact footprint. Some of the trees on Northbourne Avenue bear existing memorials (or provideplaques in the ground) to notable Canberrans, or people who have died in road accidents at these locations.The potential for these sites to be impacted or removed as part of the Project may cause a sense of lossamong residents who have lost family members at these location(s), or loss of a sense of heritage from theremoval of plaques honouring notable Canberrans.

The Project also poses a potential risk of loss or damage to sites or objects of Indigenous culturalsignificance. These include archaeological deposits and heritage artefacts, particularly in the northern part ofthe study area, as well as in other areas of the Project footprint.

Perception or actual severance (access constraints and physical separation resulting in direct or indirectimpacts to local businesses)

Physical severance can occur when a new transport development means that previous routes taken bypeople are blocked off, diverting them to a less convenient route which can create a disincentive to takingthe journey at all. Psychological severance, or perception of severance, can occur when a new transportdevelopment produces noise, pollution, inconvenience or a perceived safety risk when crossing thedevelopment. This can result in some trips across the transport network being deterred, reducing social andcommunity cohesion, inhibiting consumers from accessing businesses and potentially resulting in lostbusiness.

Perceived and actual severance are likely during Project construction, as safety barriers, road closures androadwork equipment would block parts of the route and create noise and a perception of safety hazards.This severance, or perception of severance, can result in a potential loss of trade for businesses along thealignment during construction. Each of these types of severance are briefly described below.

Actual severance

Physical barriers would be installed around the Project construction site for safety, which means that currentinformal crossings of Northbourne Avenue, Federal Highway, Flemington Road and Hibberson Street atplaces other than official crossings, would be unavailable for a period while the Project is under construction.This has the potential to affect pedestrians along the Project route, and any businesses, social groups orcommunity facilities they may have wished to visit. These people may need to walk further to reach theirdestination, use an alternative transport method, decide to take fewer trips or decide to access their requiredservices at a different location away from the Project alignment.



People, businesses and areas that are particularly likely to be directly affected by the Project duringconstruction include:

shoppers in Gungahlin who wish to cross Hibberson Street

residents along Flemington Road who currently catch buses that drop them on one side of the road; orwho have social activities or business transactions to make on the other side of the road

businesses on Flemington Road that may lose foot traffic from people located the other side of the road,particularly low-cost purchases such as coffee and snacks

residents of Dickson, Downer and Watson who walk to sporting facilities and EPIC on the other side ofthe Northbourne Avenue, or shops, restaurants etc. in Lyneham

residents of Lyneham who shop, dine or drink at Dickson businesses

businesses in Dickson with customers in Lyneham or O’Connor

residents and businesses of Braddon and Turner who cross Northbourne Avenue.

Residents and businesses in Civic are likely to experience comparatively less actual severance, as somephysical barriers already exist on traffic islands on Northbourne Avenue in Civic.

In addition, where intersection works are required, this would involve temporary closures of intersectionsthroughout periods of the Projects’ construction impacting on vehicular traffic during these times (refer toChapter 10 for further details).

Perceived severance

New transport projects can create perceived or psychological barriers while under development.For example, noise, dust and perceived danger can act as a deterrent to pedestrians and cyclists movingfrom one side of the proposed light rail route to the other. This means that even when crossings of the lightrail route are available during construction and the route is reasonably convenient, some trips may still bedeterred due to the unpleasantness of crossing a construction site.

The Project is unlikely to have a substantial increase in the perception of severance once the Project iscompleted and the light rail is operational, as severance has been in place for the most of the Project route,in the form of wide, heavily trafficked roads of Northbourne Avenue, Federal Highway and Flemington Road.The exception is Hibberson Street, which has been designed as a pedestrian-friendly street, which isanticipated to result in a lower perception of severance than currently exists.

Demographic changes

As shown in Figure 14.1, the Project route runs past some areas that are already densely populated, such asBraddon, and some areas that are expected to show increases in population density, such as Harrison andFranklin. Due to the convenience of living within walking distance of a light rail stop, it is expected there maybe increased demand for properties around light rail stops, and increases in dwelling density in these areas.As a result, population density has the potential to increase along the Project alignment, in particular aroundproposed light rail stops.

This may result in lower population growth in other areas of Canberra not serviced by the Project, such asBelconnen, Woden and Tuggeranong; however these areas are already currently forecast to show relativelylow population growths.



Urban design and visual impacts on amenity

Construction activities may be visually unpleasant, particularly once the existing trees along the Projectalignment have been removed (refer to Chapter 8). During operation, elements such as the rail line, newstops, overhead wiring, lighting, substations and vehicles may be regarded as unattractive by somemembers of the population. The Project would continue to be designed to ensure the final product isaesthetically pleasing, with an improvement rather than a reduction in visual amenity. The Project wouldincorporate a series of detailed design principles for each precinct along the light rail route; for exampleremoving cars, increasing tree plantings and widening footpaths in (Hibberson Street), improving pedestriancrossings and using single overhead wires to reduce the visual impact of light rail infrastructure.

Further discussion of potential urban design and visual impacts is provided in Chapter 9.

Security, safety and policing of light rail operations

The Project has the potential to result in perceived and actual risks of crime, harassment and deliberateproperty damage. These risks could occur on the LRVs themselves, at light rail stops and for people walkingto and from the light rail stops, particularly at night. These risks to people making light rail trips are most likelysimilar to those faced by people catching buses.

Passenger safety would be the primary factor in the detailed design of the Project, particularly with respect tooperation of the light rail. In addition, each of the new stops would be configured to provide a level pedestriancrossing between the new platforms to allow for access to both sides of the stop and the surrounding landuses. Signage, tactile warning markers and fencing barriers would assist in creating safe pedestrian crossingpoints. Other security measures would also be included at each stop including:

closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras for passenger security and to deter vandalism

an appropriate level of lighting would be provided to maximise passenger safety and to enable theoperation of CCTV. Lighting levels would be determined during future design development of each stop

emergency telephone/help point(s) and warning signs.

Measures to mitigate safety and security impacts are discussed in section 14.4.

14.3.4 Health impacts

It is expected that the health impacts of the Project would be positive. Several potential health impacts havebeen identified; including positive impacts (improved fitness from active transport and reduced pollution) andnegative impacts (injuries, noise, dust and vibration). These impacts are briefly discussed below.

Improved health and fitness from active transport

Overall, the health impacts of the Project would be positive, with the main benefit experienced by people whowill rely on active transport, and experience health benefits from additional walking and cycling to access thelight rail instead of driving. Previous community consultation indicated that three-quarters of respondentswould be more likely to catch light rail than a bus, and respondents were prepared to walk 600 to 800 metresto a light rail stop (SMEC Australia, 2013).

A person who is induced to catch public transport by the Project, who would walk that distance from home toa light rail stop, and a similar distance again from the light rail to their destination, and then takes the sameroute home, could walk up to 3 kilometres extra per day, compared to driving from home to their destination.



Reduced pollution

The Project would operate using electricity, while alternative forms of transport run on petrol (cars) or diesel(buses and some cars). If fewer trips along the light rail route are taken by car due to the modal shift awayfrom cars to light rail, and bus services such as the 200 Red Rapid from Gungahlin to Civic are replaced withthe Project, this would reduce vehicle emissions in dense residential areas. A review of the health effects ofpetrol and diesel emissions by the Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics (BTRE, 2005) found thatemissions such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, ozone and particulate matter were associated withincreased mortality, exacerbation of asthma, increases susceptibility to respiratory infection, reduction inrespiratory function and heart disease.

Further details regarding the potential reduction in pollution associated with the Project is provided inChapter 11.

Injury from construction accidents or collisions with vehicles and pedestrians

The Rail Safety National Law provides that rail transport operators must consider the safety of rail operationsthrough all stages of the rail project lifecycle, from design through to construction, testing, commissioning,operations, maintenance and decommissioning.

During construction, there is a risk of injury to workers constructing the light rail, and risk to members of thepublic who are near the construction site. A preliminary hazard analysis identified several potential risksduring the operational phase of the Project, including:

collision of Light rail vehicle with other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, other light rail vehicles, trees,street furniture, etc.

electrocution of passengers, trespassers, Project workers

light rail vehicle derailment

passenger hazards; e.g. becoming caught in doors, falling while getting on or off the light rail vehicle,falling while inside the light rail vehicle

overhead lines falling down or coming into contact with other road vehicles.

When the Project is operational, there is the possibility of new injury risks as a result of the introduction of anunfamiliar transport system. Unlike Sydney and Melbourne, Canberra does not have a history of light rail andso many Canberra residents will be unaware of the risks involved in using or being near light rail.

Noise, dust and vibration

Noise, vibration and dust have negative socioeconomic impacts from reduction in wellbeing for residentsliving and working near the light rail route. The construction of light rail stops, the demolition of existing roadpavement, relocation of services and utilities, bridge construction works, and the installation of light rail tracksand associated ancillary infrastructure (e.g. overhead wires) would cause disturbance to surrounding landusers. Dust and air pollution would be generated during construction, causing loss of amenity and potentialhealth risks to the community, particularly individuals with pre-existing sensitivity.

Once the Project becomes operational, there would be noise and vibration impacts from light rail vehiclesmoving down the track. There would also be fixed noise sources arising from the Project including thestabling depot and maintenance facility and the proposed substations. It is unlikely that these light railimpacts would have a greater effect than vehicle traffic already operating on the light rail route.

Further discussion of potential noise and vibration impacts is provided in Chapter 7 and potential dust andother air quality and greenhouse impacts is further discussed in Chapter 11.



14.3.5 Significance of socioeconomic impacts

The significance of each impact of the impacts identified above has been classified according to thepopulation potentially affected by the impact (few, some and many) and the size of the impact (minor,medium and large). The definition of each of these of these impacts, in addition to further details regardingthe framework used for the assessment is provided in section 4.1 of Technical Paper 10.

Table 14.4 presents a summary and assessment of the qualitative impacts identified above. These impactshave been categorised against the following headings:

Construction or operational: Construction impacts are temporary during the construction phase, whileoperational impacts are longer term once the Project is functional.

Size of impact: The magnitude or severity of the impact for those affected.

Population affected: The number of people affected.

Positive or negative: Positive or neutral impacts require no mitigation.

Mitigation required: Negative impacts are considered to require mitigation if they meet the followingcriteria: if they are large; if they are medium and affect some to many people, or minor impacts thataffect many people.

Table 14.4 Summary assessment of potential socioeconomic impacts associated with the Project

Impact Category Construction oroperational?

Size ofimpact1

Populationaffected2

Positive ornegative?

Mitigationrequired?

Time savings/transportbenefits

Economic Operational Minor-medium

Many Positive No

Public transportoperation impacts

Economic Operational Medium Many Positive No

Land use impacts Economic Operational Medium Many Positive No

Impacts on privateproperty – construction

Economic Construction Minor Some Negative No

Impacts on privateproperty – operation

Economic Operational Minor Some Positive No

Wider economic benefits Economic Operational Medium Many Positive No

Disruption to localbusinesses fromseverance

Economic Construction Medium Some Negative Yes

Disruption to ACTGovernment operations

Economic Construction andoperational

Medium Some Negative Yes

Improved social cohesion Social Operational Minor Many Positive No

Impact on roadsidememorials

Social Operational Large Few Negative Yes

Loss or damage to sitesor objects of Indigenouscultural significance

Social Construction Large Some Negative Yes

Perceived or actualseverance

Social Operational Minor -medium

Many Negative Yes

Demographic changes Social Operational Medium Many Neutral No



Impact Category Construction oroperational?

Size ofimpact1

Populationaffected2

Positive ornegative?

Mitigationrequired?

Urban design and visualamenity

Social Construction andOperational

Medium Many Negative Yes

Security, safety andpolicing

Social Operational Major Many Negative Yes

Health benefits fromactive transport

Health Operational Medium Many Positive No

Reduced pollution Health Operational Minor Many Positive No

Potential for injury duringconstruction works

Health Construction Large Some Negative Yes

Potential for injury fromlight rail operation

Health Operational Large Many Negative Yes

Noise, dust and vibration Health Construction andOperational

Medium Many Negative Yes

1. Size of impact

Minor: Negative impacts are likely to be no more than a nuisance or inconvenience. Physical injury, noticeable economicdamage or serious emotional harm is unlikely to occur.

Medium: Impacts are likely to be noticeable and measurable, but unlikely to cause major changes to a person or business’ lifeor circumstances.

Large: Impacts are likely to be noticeable, measurable and could have major, life-changing impacts on personal, social, orbusiness circumstances.

2. Population affected

Few: Less than approximately 1,000 people potentially experiencing the impact, eg persons for whom roadside memorialshold particular significance.

Some: Between approximately 1,000 and 10,000 people are expected to potentially experience the impact, for example,private property owners along the Project route or construction workers working on the Project.

Many: Over 10,000 people are expected to potentially experience the impact, for example, future users of the Project andthose who drive, walk or cycle around the Project route.

14.4 Proposed mitigation measures and offsetsA series of mitigation measures have been identified to mitigate the potential negative socioeconomicimpacts identified in section 14.3 above, in particular, those identified as negative impacts in Table 14.4.

During detailed design

Impacts to private properties along the alignment would be minimised where possible during thedetailed design of the Project. This would include measures such as the refinement of the Projectimpact footprint following detailed design of intersection works, or the rationalisation/minimisation ofconstruction compounds required for construction of the Project by Project Co.

A business landowner and engagement management plan (or similar) would be developed during thedetailed design to be implemented during the construction of the Project. This plan would identify meansby which to keep businesses and ACT government operations informed of the Project and methods toproactively support businesses through the construction phase to minimise disruptions.



During construction

Safe, clearly designed and well signposted crossing zones would be maintained across the light railroute during construction, to reduce actual and perceived severance and mitigate the loss of businessover the construction period and the loss of social connectedness.

Engagement with the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator would be undertaken to identify andremove or mitigate construction injury risks during construction.

The Project would maintain open lines of communication with persons at risk of injury during theconstruction period, including road users, residents and construction workers. This would involve clearlypublicising works to affected residents and travellers before they happen, for example through mailoutsfor residents and businesses on or near the light rail route, posters at bus stops and an updated websiteshowing expected construction dates for each local area.

Project Co would establish a complaints process to allow affected workers, commuters, businesses andresidents to report on hazards that they may identify.

With respect to potential impacts to roadside memorials and/or sites or artefacts of indigenous culturalsignificance the following processes would generally be undertaken:

Prior to removal of trees (or plaques), Project Co and CMA would engage in communityconsultation about meaningful ways to transfer the memorials on the old trees to new trees in thesame or similar locations, when the new trees are planted. This consultation process would beginprior to construction begins, and before the trees (or plaques) are removed. Project Co and CMAwould maintain open lines of communication about plans for the memorials, when they would betaken down and when they would be re-established.

Project Co would seek to engage with Canberra’s indigenous community regarding sites orartefacts of indigenous cultural significance. Wherever possible, it would ensure that sites orartefacts are subject to minimal disturbance. Where some disturbance is necessary, Project Cowould seek to restore the site or artefact after the Project is complete.

Project Co would keep details of their engagements with the community, including any complaintsor records of dissatisfaction. Once the Project is complete, Project Co would publish the locationsof sites of indigenous cultural significance, roadside memorials and other sites, along withmeasures taken to preserve those sites.

Additional mitigation measures to minimise amenity impacts from issues such as noise, dust and visualimpacts are provided in Chapters 7 (noise), 8 (planted trees), 9 (visual), and 11 (air quality).

During operation

Design measures would be employed during the detailed design of the Project to ensure it does notcreate actual or perceived severance. This would encourage greater social and commercial connectionsacross the light rail corridor. Some of the design principles that could be considered to reduce perceivedand actual severance along the route would include:

Shared light rail/pedestrian zone in Hibberson Street, improving pedestrian access, wideningfootpaths and improving the streetscape, to increase the perception of safety for pedestrianscrossing Hibberson Street.

Enhance connection to mixed-use nodes around light rail stops interchanges and enhancing visualand pedestrian connections.

Reinstate or enhance footpaths on both sides of Flemington Road, Mitchell and maintain views andpedestrian access to nature reserves where these are impacted by the Project.

Consider access and mobility when designing intersections on Northbourne Avenue to reduce theseverance effect of the major road, and introducing more informal crossing points as part of adetailed design process.



LRVs, stops and crossings would be designed during the detailed design phase with road and rail safetyin mind, to reduce the risk of injury along the light rail route and on LRVs themselves. Measures whichwould be considered would include:

All stops on medians would have signalised pedestrian crossings for pedestrian safety.

The design of vehicles and track would comply with any relevant Australian or internationalstandards.

Call buttons would allow passengers to connect directly with the driver to alert them of onboardincidents, or if the driver is unresponsive, with the Operations Control Centre.

The placement of poles supporting Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) would take into considerationthe risks of collision with road vehicles. All right turns across the light rail tracks would besignalised, with right turn lanes provided.

A public education campaign would be implemented prior to commencement of, and during initialoperation of the Project to inform commuters how to safely catch the light rail, cross the tracks anddrive, walk or cycle safely around the light rail.

A number of measures to improve the safety of light rail passengers would be included in the Projectand finalised during detailed design. These measures would include:

Buttons at each light rail stop that connect direction to Operations Control Centre staff foremergency assistance.

Integrated lighting and closed circuit television (CCTV) security cameras at all light rail stops.Lighting would be brighter than surrounding areas to improve perception of security and reduce therisk of falls.

Stops would be designed with the principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design(CPTED), which ensure visibility through the whole platform to the surrounding street. This wouldengender a greater feeling of safety among light rail users and deter crime.

LRVs and stops would be fitted with CCTV.

Regular reviews of crime and safety perceptions on the light rail and around light rail stops would beconducted by Project Co to identify ways in which safety can be improved on an ongoing basis.

The final requirements for infrastructure and landscape maintenance responsibilities associated with theProject, in addition to temporary arrangements during construction, would be negotiated throughongoing consultation and agreement between CMA, Project Co and TAMS during the design andconstruction phase with a view to the establishment of a maintenance interface agreement betweenProject Co and TAMS for the operations phase of the Project.

14.5 Expected conditionsThe Project is expected to provide a positive outcome for existing business during operation, with reducedtransport costs and times allowing increased patronage along the Project route, particularly around light railstops. The development of the Project is anticipated to allow for increased mobility along the Projectalignment helping to improve social and economic connections within the northern region of Canberra.

The Project is also anticipated to be a catalyst for the future urban growth of the northern regions ofCanberra, including Gungahlin, the new developments of Molonglo and other existing inner north suburbs(including areas such as Braddon, Turner and Civic). The Project is expected to assist in meeting thetransport needs of these growing suburbs in addition to providing opportunities for developing other areas,such as Dickson, which is also planned for future growth and commercial expansion (refer to Chapter 3).

The potential social and economic impacts associated with the project are expected to be adequatelymanaged through the mitigation measures identified such that the expected conditions associated with theseimpacts would be minimal.



14.6 Residual risksBased on the mitigation measures identified in section 14.4, an assessment of the residual social andeconomic risks associated with the Project have been considered (for risks previously identified as beingmedium or above). These residual risks are identified in Table 14.5.

Table 14.5 Residual social and economic risks

ID Potential impactOriginal

residual riskrating

Residuallikelihood

Residualconsequence

Residualrisk rating

J.2

Removal of existing roadside memorialswhich are within the footprint of the Project,such as those associated/attached to existingtrees along Northbourne Avenue.

Very high AlmostCertain Minor High

J.3Impact on local communities duringconstruction, including reduction in amenity(such as noise, dust and visual impacts).

High Possible Moderate Medium

J.5

Potential for the community to perceive thatthe light rail infrastructure will create a barrierbetween the east and west sides ofNorthbourne Avenue/Flemington Road.

High Unlikely Moderate Low

Note for residual risk ID J.2: The consequence of this risk has been reduced as through the implementation of the identified processesand protocols for managing affected roadside memorials, it is considered that the residual consequence on these sites would bereduced.



15. Utilities and servicesThis Chapter considers the potential impact on utilities from the Project. The existing utilities within theProject impact footprint are considered along with the potential adjustments which may be required for newutilities required for the Project.

The Project PEA (Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2014a) initial risk assessment for the Project identified the potentialutility and services risks presented in Table 15.1 below.

Table 15.1 Initial utility and service risks associated with the Project


K.1 Disruption to asset owner access to services and utilities. Possible Major High

K.2 Damage to services and utilities during construction (includingsafety risks, such as earth potential rise). Possible Major High

K.3Electrolysis corrosion risks caused by potential stray leakagecurrents from the running rails into surrounding earth causingcause electrolysis corrosion of nearby buried metalwork.

Possible Major High

15.1 Environmental conditions and valuesUnderground and overhead utilities in the Canberra area have a substantial footprint and interface with theexisting road infrastructure. As such, the utilities protection or relocation component of the Project wouldrequire detailed management.

The light rail would pass over or near a number of existing overhead and underground utilities along theProject alignment. Critical areas include the Northbourne Avenue and Federal Highway median, andintersections along the alignment. The types of utilities to be affected by the Project include:

underground and overhead electrical cables (high and low voltage)

water supply mains

sewer

stormwater

gas mains

street lighting

telecommunications cables.

Further consultation with utility providers would continue to occur to inform the ongoing design developmentof the Project (Chapter 21 presents information regarding the consultation process with utility owners thathas been undertaken to date).



15.2 InvestigationsThe location of utilities within the Project impact footprint has been determined from the following primarysources:

Dial Before You Dig (DBYD) enquiries

AutoCAD data supplied by service authorities

Territory and Municipal Services GIS database (drainage)

existing survey information

underground utility survey

ongoing consultation with utility and other asset owners (refer to Chapter 21).

DBYD enquiries were undertaken in February 2014 to determine the location of utilities along the proposedrail corridor. A subsequent DBYD enquiry was completed in April 2014 to determine the location of utilities atthe site of the proposed depot. DBYD data was supplemented by additional data received in March 2014from service authorities to form electronic 2D utility information.

Between July 2014 and January 2015, an underground utility survey (UUS) was undertaken along the lightrail corridor within the existing road reserve. The survey included the following:

surface electronic detection (tracing) of non-hydraulic utilities

individual potholing of non-hydraulic utilities and water mains and survey of exposed utility

trenching across the median in Northbourne Avenue and survey of exposed utilities

survey of additional stormwater and sewer utilities.


15.3.1 Construction

Construction impacts to underground and overhead services and utilities would include potential for injuryto construction workers or the wider community in the unlikely event that utility services are accidentallydamaged during excavation, plant movement or general civil works.

Relocation and disruption to existing services

Construction of the Project requires augmentation and/or relocation of a number of minor utility servicesalong the Project alignment. Construction within the median of the Federal Highway/Northbourne Avenuebetween Flemington Road and the intersection of Northbourne Avenue and Antill Street/Mouat Streetrequires the relocation of a major gas main. This gas main may be relocated to the eastern verge of FederalHighway/Northbourne Avenue. Detailed consideration would be given to the design development andexecution of the gas main relocation to ensure it is conducted safely and efficiently.

If the utilities and services along the Project alignment cannot be protected during relocation, users of theseservices (including residential, commercial and industrial properties along the Project alignment) mayexperience short disruptions. Disruption in disconnecting and reconnecting utility services to individuallandowners and occupiers would be kept to a minimum.



The extent and timing of these impacts and any works required to relocate or replace services would beconfirmed during detailed design in consultation with the relevant utilities providers and impactedstakeholders. To minimise disruption of services to properties along the alignment, replacement services(where required) would be provided prior to disconnection of existing services. Ongoing consultationbetween Project Co and property owners would occur to provide sufficient notification of any interruptions toservices throughout the construction period.

Despite thorough utility investigations, as discussed in section 15.2, a risk of the discovery and/or damage tounknown utilities within the Project footprint during construction would still remain. Mitigation measures toreduce the uncertainty of unknown utilities are described in section 15.4.

Potential impacts to construction workers and members of the public

Transmission of large electrical currents through the ground (known as ‘earth potential rise’) could potentiallyoccur as a result of damaged power cables or mains. In the unlikely event that an existing electrical cable isdamaged during construction, this could have the potential to injure construction workers and members ofthe community standing close to the damaged power utility. This potential hazard is unlikely to occur due tothe management measures proposed as part of the project.

Damage to other mains (such as gas, water or sewer) could also result in injury to construction workers andcommunity members. Mitigation measures to reduce the potential for impact from strikes to services aredescribed in section 15.4.

New utilities

As discussed in section 2.2.2, the Project would require a number of new utility infrastructure to allow for theoperation of the project. Utility infrastructure and services required for the Project include:

cabling for communications systems (e.g. for CCTV systems, emergency telephones/help points, publicaddress, passenger information displays)

cabling for the signalling system

cabling for power supply between the feeder connection points, overheard wiring system, substationlocations and the main track alignment

trackside signalling equipment (e.g. post-mounted signals, location cabinets, track circuits, pointsmachines, etc.)

local power supply for stops (cabling, distribution boards, switchboards, etc.), lighting, signage, CCTVsystems, public address and security systems

water supply (e.g. for cleaning activities).

The installation of new services is unlikely to result in any significant impacts during construction. Minordisruptions to the supply of utility services to landowners may however occur where these new services areconnected to existing services.

15.3.2 Operation

Operation of the light rail would require an additional draw of power to run the LRVs and electrical equipment(such as lighting and emergency help points at each stop). The project would therefore include theinstallation of seven substations along the rail corridor to augment the local power systems and supply theProject with the required power to operate the light rail.

Impacts to other utilities during operation are anticipated to be minimal. Access to all existing utilities, forroutine maintenance and inspection would be maintained during operation.



Electrolysis corrosion

Corrosion on the surface of a conductor results when electric current leaves the metallic conductor andtravels via an ionic path through the soil. If left uncontrolled stray currents can be detrimental for a number ofthe Project components and third party assets such as metallic utility pipes and cables. At risk assets wouldalso include the light rail system fixed components including surface, above ground and below groundstructures and adjacent facilities along the alignment. Management of this potential impact is discussed insection 15.4 below.

15.4 Proposed mitigation measures and offsetsA Utility Management Plan would be prepared prior to construction and would include, as a minimum,processes and procedures for:

the design and approval process, construction and inspection requirements, handback process, accessand maintenance requirements for existing and proposed utilities

a list of all utility services to be treated. The list would include risks and mitigation measures for eachutility service

identification of key delivery management personnel in the utility service treatment team

detailed construction methodologies

unknown utility methodology.

Construction

Management of construction works (underground utilities)

The following mitigation measures would be implemented to manage impacts to utilities and services duringconstruction.

Investigations would be carried out during the detailed design of the Project to ensure all appropriatemeasures are in place to minimise the potential risks to existing utilities and services prior tocommencement of construction works.

Project Co would check the locations of existing underground utilities and services prior to commencingconstruction works.

Should the location of any utilities be identified to be in conflict with the Project, a formal review of theproposed works at these location(s) would be undertaken in consultation with Project Co and therelevant utility organisations. Alternative arrangements would be determined to provide a beneficialoutcome for the community, service provider and project in terms of safety and constructability.

The discovery and/or damage to unknown utilities would follow procedures outlined in the utilitymanagement plan (refer below). This would provide for the identification of the utility owner, evaluationof whether the utility is currently in use and a danger to workers and the community. The overallstrategy for the preferred hierarchy of utilities treatment as part of the Project would include thefollowing:

do nothing – avoid impact on utilities where possible

protect – protect utilities in their existing locations where feasible

relocate – utilities to be relocated only where no other options are feasible or acceptable.

Utilities that run parallel with the Project alignment for a length greater than 10 metres and would beimpacted by the Project would be relocated rather than protected.



All utility service relocations would comply with the TAMS Design and Construction Standards for UrbanInfrastructure as described in AS 5488, or other relevant standard(s) as required.

Two zones of utilities that run perpendicular to the Project have been identified:

clash detection zone – an area extending 2.5 metres from the centre of the Project alignment, to adepth ranging from 0.55 metres to 0.75 metres depending on the rail design

build over zone – an area extending 2.5 metres from the centre of the Project alignment, to a depth2 metres below the clash detection zone.

These would be typically treated on the following basis (subject to detailed design):

utility below build over zone – do nothing

utility within build over zone – protection or possible relocation

utility within clash detection zone – relocation

longitudinal utilities impacted – relocation

structure (i.e. pit within clash zone) – relocation.

Management of construction works (aboveground utilities)

Assets with insufficient clearance would require relocation (including potential undergrounding of theseassets). The 11 kV and 33 kV crossings would require undergrounding, and would be agreed betweenProject Co and ActewAGL during the detailed design phase (prior to construction).

Consultation and engagement with utility owners and affected land owners

During the ongoing development of the Project, CMA and Project Co would continue to engage with allappropriate service utility providers (e.g. electricity, communication and water services) regardingpotential impacts to services. Prior to the commencement of construction works, consultation would beundertaken with affected utility owners, including (but not limited to) Actew Water (Icon Water),ActewAGL, Jemena, Telstra, TransACT, Optus, NBNCo, ICON, AAPT and TAMS.

Affected landowners and occupiers would also be consulted in a timely manner to arrange acceptabletime(s) for works that may cause disruption.

Operation

The Project would be designed to operate in an energy efficient manner with minimum drawdown onlocal power. However, the operation of the Project would require installation of seven substations alongthe alignment to operate the LRVs.

Access points would be provided as part of the detailed design to allow for access during routinemaintenance operations.

Consultation with TAMS and other utility/service providers would be undertaken during detailed designto ensure appropriate measures are taken regarding the potential integration of future utilities and toensure that the Project does not preclude the development or installation of these proposed utilities.

Electrolysis corrosion

The recommended mitigation strategy for electrolysis corrosion is to minimise stray current at source to thegreatest extent possible by careful attention to the design, installation and testing of the rail insulation.Project Co would develop, implement, and maintain a Stray Current Plan, which would identify how ProjectCo would comply with stray current requirements.



15.5 Expected conditionsUtilities within the Project impact footprint would be maintained, protected or relocated depending on theirproximity to the project alignment as discussed in section 15.4. These management measures would allowfor access to utilities for maintenance and reduce future impacts of the Project.

15.6 Residual risksBased on the mitigation measures identified in section 15.4, an assessment of the residual utility andservices risks associated with the Project have been considered (for risks previously identified as beingmedium or above). These residual risks are identified in Table 15.2.

Table 15.2 Residual utility and services risks


residual riskrating

Residuallikelihood

Residualconsequence

Residualrisk rating

K.1 Disruption to asset owner access to servicesand utilities. High Unlikely Major Medium

K.2Damage to services and utilities duringconstruction (including safety risks, such asearth potential rise).

High Unlikely Major Medium

K.3

Electrolysis corrosion risks caused bypotential stray leakage currents from therunning rails into surrounding earth causingcause electrolysis corrosion of nearby buriedmetalwork.

High Remote Major Low



16. Waste, energy andresources

This Chapter describes the handling of materials and waste during all stages of the Project. This involves thewaste to be disposed in the landfill, materials required for construction and operation.

The Project PEA (Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2014a) initial risk assessment for the Project identified the potentialwaste, energy and resources impacts risks presented in Table 16.1 below.

Table 16.1 Initial waste, energy and resources impacts risks associated with the Project


L.1

Increased waste from construction of infrastructure andancillary structures (such as depot facility buildings).

Environmental hazards associated with the disposal ofconstruction waste, including potentiallyhazardous/contaminated materials (e.g. asbestos,contaminated spoil).

AlmostCertain Minor High

L.2Increased demand on resources (e.g. electricity, fuel, concrete,water) resulting in reduced availability of resources for the localcommunity.

Likely Minor Medium

L.3 Increase in energy consumption associated with manufacturingbuilding materials and infrastructure and during construction.

AlmostCertain Minor High

L.4 Increase in energy consumption associated with operation oflight rail infrastructure.

AlmostCertain Moderate Very high

16.1 OverviewThe consumption of resources and production of waste are inherently linked. By minimising resourceconsumption, waste production is typically reduced as is the resultant impact on the environment.Resource and waste management would be prioritised according to the resource management hierarchy.

avoidance of unnecessary resource consumption

resource recovery (including reuse, reprocessing, recycling and energy recovery)

disposal.

The Project has the potential to utilise a range of different resources and generate a number of differentwaste types throughout its construction and operational phases. Construction of the Project would requirethe use of a range of resources such as electricity, water, fuel, concrete and paving materials (such asmaterials required for stop platforms). Other resources would be required for infrastructure such as signals,signage, fit out of the stops, landscaping and retaining walls. Minimal waste and resource use is anticipatedto occur during operational of the Project.



16.2 InvestigationsA desktop review was undertaken to identify the potential construction resource, energy and wastemanagement impacts associated with the construction and operation of the Project. The Greenhouse GasEmissions Estimation prepared by WSP (Technical Paper 7) was also reviewed as part of the considerationof waste, energy and resource impacts associated with the Project.


16.3.1 Construction resource and waste management

Demand on resources

Potential sources of waste during construction would include earthworks, vegetation clearing, drainageworks, demolition, equipment maintenance, road infrastructure upgrades, waste concrete, wood and metal,materials packaging and worksite office activities. Construction of the Project would increase demand onlocal and regional resources, but would not result in resources becoming scarce or in short supply within theCanberra or greater regional area. Concrete, backfill and equipment for the rail systems and construction ofthe stops and depot would require imported materials for construction works.

Bulk materials required for the project include:

Diesel asphalt

rail (steel) general fill material

structural steel water

concrete PVC ducts.

The estimates quantities of bulk materials have been previously identified in section Table 2.4 of this EIS.Other resource requirements would be determined during the detailed design and construction phase.

Waste

The construction of the Project would generate various types of wastes and increase waste to landfill duringthe construction phase. Generated waste would be managed in accordance with ACT EPA Guidelines andwould include:

demolition waste from existing structures (including concrete, bricks and steel)

construction waste materials (including packaging, concrete, bricks, crushed rock, steel and timber)

liquid wastes (including waste fuels, paints, oils and chemicals)

cleared vegetation

wastewater (including site run-off and water used to control dust)

domestic wastes (including food scraps and putrescible wastes, aluminium cans, glass bottles, plasticand paper containers used by construction workers)

sewage from construction site facilities

possible contaminated materials (including but not limited to asbestos and contaminated spoil).



Hazardous material use during construction

During construction, potentially hazardous materials would be stored and used on-site at the proposedconstruction compounds, laydown areas and other ancillary work areas. Potentially hazardous materials thatmay be required to be stored on-site during construction would include fuels, chemicals, lubricating oils,cement, epoxy, paints or other hazardous liquids and materials required. The refuelling and maintenance ofconstruction plant and equipment would be undertaken within designated areas at these construction sites,and typically using specialised refuelling contractors equipped with appropriate spillage response equipmentand training.

Potentially hazardous materials would be transported to and from construction sites on public roads. Spillsand leaks during transportation may result in the contamination of land and waterways outside of the Projectimpact footprint. This risk would be managed through the use of contractors who are certified to transportthose potentially hazardous materials and have adequate environmental management procedures toaddress risks associated with spills and leaks during transportation.

Any hazardous waste arising from construction of the project would be removed and disposed in accordancewith relevant ACT EPA guidelines. Further discussion regarding the potential impacts of hazardous materialsusage during the construction of the Project is provided in Chapter 19.

Impacts of increased energy consumption during construction

Manufacturing of building materials and infrastructure would require energy consumption during construction.Details regarding the potential energy consumption during construction of the Project is provided inChapter 11.

16.3.2 Operational resource and waste management

Demand on resources

The maintenance and occasional repair of Project infrastructure during operation would require some limitedamounts of resources. However, these activities would not place a significant demand on resources.

Waste

Typical wastes during operation would be minimal and would potentially include maintenance waste fromLRVs and track work. Some waste would also be generated by general maintenance and repair work thatwould occur at the stabling depot and maintenance facility. These would require various managementmeasures and disposal processes in accordance with ACT EPA Guidelines.

Wastes generated by the operation of the Project would potentially include wastewater from generalmaintenance activities, oils and other materials used during track maintenance, and trimmed vegetation fromvegetation and landscaped areas to maintain a clear corridor for operation of LRVs. Rail users may alsogenerate small amounts of general waste and litter at stops. Additionally, wastewater would be generatedfrom cleaning LRVs at the stabling depot and maintenance facilities.

Hazardous material storage and use during operation

Some hazardous materials, such as cleaning chemicals, fuels, chemicals, lubricating oils, paints or otherhazardous liquids and materials required for the ongoing operation of the Project would be stored at thestabling depot and maintenance facility at Mitchell. These materials would be stored in accordance withrelevant ACT EPA guidelines (refer to section 16.4) and are not anticipated to impact on the operation of theProject or surrounding land uses. Further discussion regarding the potential impacts of hazardous materialsstorage and usage during the operation of the Project is provided in Chapter 19.



16.4 Proposed mitigation measures and offsets

Construction

As part of the overarching CEMP for the Project, a waste and recycling management plan would be preparedfor the Project prior to construction works commencing. The plan would detail standard environmentalmanagement measures to manage resource consumption and to avoid, re-use and dispose of waste duringconstruction. These measures would include:

investigating opportunities to re-use or recycle other construction and demolition waste

applying the waste hierarchy (avoid, minimise, re-use/recycle, dispose) during construction

preparing and maintaining a waste management system on site (including recycling)

promoting minimal resource use as a design target

treating any wastewater collected prior to discharge, in accordance with current standards

chipping leaf material and small branches of native vegetation for use as mulch in revegetation orlandscaping works

disposing all other green waste from vegetation removal to a green waste recycling facility

maintaining work sites in a tidy state, and appropriately disposing of all general litter (including foodscraps, plastics, glass bottle)

providing reuse and recycling training and infrastructure at construction sites

setting construction reuse and recycling targets and monitoring waste generated to manage and classifywaste for disposal in accordance with the relevant ACT EPA Guidelines

using a licensed contractor to remove contaminated waste, under current ACT EPA Guidelines

where appropriate, sourcing of materials would be undertaken using locally available resources andmaterials.

All waste generated and surplus spoil from the construction of the Project would be transported to theWest Belconnen Resource Management Centre, or another appropriate facility, as detailed in section 2.2.3.Initial consultation with ACT NoWaste has been undertaken by CMA to confirm the facilities suitability of thisfacility for the disposal of waste associated with the Project. At this time, it is considered that this facility hasthe capacity to process, recycle or dispose of all waste generated by the Project.

Storage, stockpiling disposal and reuse of materials

Measures for the storage, stockpiling and disposal of materials would include:

Stockpiles would be located on relatively level ground and away from areas of ecological or heritagevalue or from drainage lines and waterways.

Stockpiling of materials within the median along Northbourne Avenue would be limited where possibleto minimise visual impacts.

Prior to removal of material for off-site disposal, these materials would be assessed for suitability forbeneficial reuse. Where material is intended for beneficial reuse, a beneficial reuse assessment (BRA)would be undertaken in accordance with the ACT EPA 2014, Information Sheet 4 – Requirements forthe reuse and disposal of contaminated soil in the ACT.

Any hazardous materials required for the operation and maintenance of the Project would be stored inaccordance with relevant ACT EPA guidelines.



Operation

Measures for the management of waste and resources during operation of the Project would include:

Rubbish bins would be provided for passengers and users to appropriately dispose of any general orputrescible wastes.

Reuse and recycling facilities would be provided at the stabling depot and offices for the use of staff.Collection of this waste would be managed by Project Co during operation of the Project.

Waste generated during maintenance of the Project (including track and other maintenance works)would be disposed of to an appropriate local waste management facility.

Storage of chemicals associated with the operation and maintenance of the LRVs would be designed inline with the appropriate ACT EPA guidelines and legislative requirements.

Hazardous material procedures (including procedures for managing spills, and the refuelling andmaintenance of vehicles/equipment) would be developed and implemented during operation of theProject to minimise impacts associated with chemical spills and leaks. These procedures wouldadequately address activities at the proposed stabling depot and maintenance facility at Mitchell, as wellas other general maintenance facilities along the Project alignment.

16.5 Residual risksBased on the mitigation measures identified in section 16.4, an assessment of the residual waste, energyand resources risks associated with the Project have been considered (for risks previously identified as beingmedium or above). These residual risks are identified in Table 16.2.

Table 16.2 Residual waste, energy and resources risks


residual riskrating

Residuallikelihood

Residualconsequence

Residualrisk rating

L.1

Increased waste from construction ofinfrastructure and ancillary structures(such as depot facility buildings).

Environmental hazards associated withthe disposal of construction waste,including potentially hazardous/contaminated materials(e.g. contaminated spoil).

High Possible Minor Low

L.2

Increased demand on resources(e.g. electricity, fuel, concrete, water)resulting in reduced availability of resourcesfor the local community.

Medium Possible Minor Low

L.3Increase in energy consumption associatedwith manufacturing building materials andinfrastructure and during construction.

High Possible Minor Low

L.4 Increase in energy consumption associatedwith operation of light rail infrastructure. Very high Unlikely Moderate Low



17. Land useThis Chapter provides a summary of the existing land use along the Project alignment and provides anoverview of the potential construction and operational impacts of the Project on these land uses.

The Project PEA (Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2014a) initial risk assessment for the Project identified the potentialland use impacts risks presented in Table 17.1 below.

Table 17.1 Initial land use risks associated with the Project


M.1Impacts on public property including footpaths and openspaces along the proposed alignment as a result ofconstruction of the Project.

Likely Minor Medium

M.2 Potential for temporary reduction in property amenity and valuedue to construction impacts. Likely Minor Medium

M.3 Loss of public open space and associated social impacts. Unlikely Minor Very low

M.4 Potential for increase in property amenity and value due to newlight rail infrastructure. Possible Positive Beneficial

M.5 Acquisition of private land for the Project. Almostcertain Minor High


Existing land uses along the Project alignment

The project would be located within an urban environment with varied characteristics. The nature andcharacter of land uses within the vicinity of the Project from the Gungahlin terminus stop to the Civic terminusstop are provided below. As illustrated in Figure 17.1, existing land use surrounding the corridor varies withdistinct clusters of land use zoning evident along much of the route.

Northern corridor section (Gungahlin and Flemington Road)

The northern part of the corridor is located in the urban district of Gungahlin, which as a developmentcorridor undergoing ‘greenfield’ urban development, is characterised by varying extents of urbandevelopment and infrastructure provision. The Gungahlin town centre (at the northern extent of the studyarea) contains undeveloped blocks, which will eventually become similar to other urban district centres inmetropolitan Canberra like Belconnen, Tuggeranong and Woden. The surrounding suburbs are similarly atvaried degrees of development with townhouse style residential development occurring in the suburbsadjacent to the Project corridor.

The industrial suburb of Mitchell marks a change between the residential area of the north and theunderdeveloped areas between Mitchell and Northbourne Avenue. This section is undeveloped, howeverincludes the Canberra Racecourse and EPIC.



Southern corridor section (Federal Highway and Northbourne Avenue)

The southern part of the corridor is defined by the nationally significant Federal Highway andNorthbourne Avenue, which forms the primary gateway to Canberra. The Federal Highway is defined byresidential land uses to the east and open space uses (sporting ovals, golf Course etc.) to the west.Northbourne Avenue is defined by its wide median and adjacent commercial buildings, which occupyrelatively large blocks (allowing for areas of open car parking between buildings) and landscaping of a goodquality.

The inner northern suburbs on either side of Northbourne Avenue were developed in the 1950’s expansionof Canberra, and although some intensification of residential development has occurred along some sectionsof Northbourne Avenue and the adjacent suburbs, the area currently contains a predominant amount of post-war residential housing. These suburbs are serviced by a number of district centres, the largest and mostsignificant along the Project alignment is Dickson.

The southern end of the Project alignment is characterised by the commercial and retail/business usesassociated with Civic.

Recreation facilities

There are a number of formal and informal recreation facilities which currently exist along or within closeproximity to the alignment which are considered as part of the Project. These facilities include:

Gubur Dhaura Heritage Park

Harrison District Playing Fields

Canberra Racecourse

EPIC

Yowani Country Club

Southwell Park (including the ACT Netball courts, Canberra Archery Club and Hockey ACT)

Haig Park

A range of other local parks along and within close proximity to the Project alignment.

Potential future land uses within the vicinity of the Project

Current and proposed urban development along the Project corridor between Gungahlin and Civic isidentified in existing ACT Government strategies and available master plans. With respect to potential futureland use developments along the Project corridor, a review of EPD’s current DA and EIS registers wasundertaken (May 2015). This search identified a range of major developments which are currently underconsideration by EPD along the Project corridor. These developments include:

mixed use commercial and residential units in Braddon – this proposal includes construction of a new6 storey mixed use development, comprising of commercial ground and first floor tenancies and 5 levelsof 60 residential units

multi dwelling unit development in Gungahlin – this proposal includes the construction of a standalone22 storey building, comprising a total of 243 residential apartments

mixed use commercial and residential units in Gungahlin – this proposal includes construction of newmixed use development including 2 commercial tenancies and 155 residential units

mixed use commercial and residential units in Gungahlin – this proposal includes construction of a3 storey development consisting of ground floor commercial unit and a 2 storey single dwelling



multi dwelling unit development in Gungahlin – this proposal includes the construction of a standalone20 storey building, comprising 192 residential apartments and retail at ground floor

multi dwelling unit development in Gungahlin – this proposal includes the construction of a standalone19 storey building, comprising a total of 192 residential apartments

multi dwelling unit development in Lyneham – this proposal includes the construction of 4 new 3 storeyresidential units with attached garages

multi dwelling unit development in Turner – this proposal includes the construction of 6 new dwellingswith attached garages.

The interaction of the Project with existing ACT Government strategies and current master plans haspreviously been discussed in section 3.4 of this EIS.

17.2 InvestigationsA site investigation was undertaken in January 2015 to view and confirm adjacent land uses and potentiallysensitive land uses within a close proximity. Aerial photographs of the Project corridor were also used toconfirm observations from the site visit and to identify land uses further away from the immediate Projectcorridor. The data collected was compared to zoning information accessed via the ACTMAPi website(http://www.actmapi.act.gov.au/home.html).


17.3.1 Construction impacts

Property acquisition and impact to public land and facilities

The permanent footprint of the Project is within the existing transport corridor along Flemington Road, theFederal Highway and Northbourne Avenue which is owned and maintained by the ACT Government.However, some portions of private land would require Territory land or lease boundary realignments aspreviously discussed in section 2.2.4 of this EIS.

Outside of the existing transport corridor, the operation of the Project is unlikely to impact on public land andfacilities. Access to all public land and facilities would be maintained during the operation of the Project.

Temporary land take

Construction of the Project would require the temporary use of land outside of the permanent Projectfootprint but within the identified construction footprint (as identified in Section 2.23 and Figure 2.15a to2.15e) for the following activities:

construction of pedestrian access paths to light rail stops

where new signalised intersections are proposed

the construction compounds and construction vehicle access points.



The use of these sites would be subject to consultation with relevant landowners, other stakeholders and/orTAMS. The impacts of the temporary use of these sites have been assessed as part of this EIS. Impactssuch as damage to vegetation and existing local infrastructure (footpaths, kerbs etc. and public accessrestrictions are expected to be short term in nature. These areas would be reinstated upon completion ofconstruction in the area.

Impacts to public land and recreation facilities

Outside of the existing transport corridor, construction of the Project is unlikely to impact on public land andfacilities during construction. As shown on Figure 2.2c and described in section 2.2.4 of this EIS, some minorworks to the access arrangements to the Lyneham Sport Precinct would be required to accommodate thestop and intersection, and improving the existing car parking for the ACT Netball site. These works may havesome temporary impacts to the sporting facility during the construction period. During construction, access tothis site would be maintained through a modified access arrangement.

Property amenity

The construction of the Project may adversely affect the amenity of some adjoining land uses due to impactssuch as:

noise generated by construction activities (refer to Chapter 7)

dust generated by construction activities (refer to Section 11.3)

traffic disruption associated with construction traffic and potential temporary road closures (refer toChapter 10)

visual impacts associated with tree removal, stockpiles and construction vehicles/equipment (refer toChapter 9).

Amenity-related impacts on adjacent properties would be most significant in areas where residentialproperties or other sensitive land uses are either located directly adjacent to construction activities(predominantly within the vicinity of the new stops) or where residential/sensitive receivers have anunscreened view of the construction areas.

Amenity impacts are anticipated to be relatively short term in nature (during the construction works period)and would be managed in accordance with the mitigation measures identified in the relevant impactassessment chapters noted above.

17.3.2 Operational impacts

Recreation

As noted above, the permanent footprint of the Project would be largely within the existing transport corridoralong Flemington Road, the Federal Highway and Northbourne Avenue. Outside of the existing transportcorridor, the operation of the Project is not anticipated to impact on any existing formal or informal recreationfacilities. Access to all existing recreation facilities such as local and regional parks, EPIC, theCanberra Racecourse other recreational facilities would be maintained during the operation of the Project.



Impacts to land use and property in the vicinity of the Project

A positive land use benefit may arise from the Project leading to higher urban density along the route.The increase in urban density may result in:

an increase in land value

more efficient and available access to public infrastructure and services (such as health, education andutilities)

urban densification benefits from increased productivity and energy efficiency.

Some residents along the light rail route may express concern that their property amenity and land valuesmay be affected negatively by the Project. The land use and property impacts on amenity and land prices ofother light rail projects around the world indicate that potential impacts are positive (ACT Government,2014c), even where the construction process reduces amenity in the short term. Whilst increased landvalues may result in a positive impact for property owners, increased land values could also result in rateincrease. Therefore, any increase in property values may be seen as a deferred benefit (until the future saleof the land). Whist this may occur, it is anticipated that the potential increase in any rates payable, as a directresult of the Project, would be minimal.

As described previously, some small amounts of land along the Project route would require a land leaseboundary realignment at the Yowani Country Club and Lyneham Sports Precinct. This requirement for landboundary realignment may, to a small extent, reduce the land available for sporting and social activities,however the land proposed is on the edge of the property. In addition, some land at the EPIC site may alsorequire some existing land boundary realignment for the widening of Flemington Road, which may slightlyreduce car parking at the site or reduce the area available for events at this location. The impact of this,however, is expected to be minimal.

Any future developments along the Project alignment would also be positively integrated with the Project byproviding an opportunity to develop a transit-orientated development around future urban developmentareas. The Project would also be a catalyst for the economic development of land in the vicinity of thetransport stops as a result of the greater accessibility, thereby improving overall property amenity and valuesalong the alignment.

Property amenity

The operation of the Project would result in some adverse amenity impacts for some adjoining land usesincluding:

noise from LRV operations, stop activities and maintenance activities (however this is anticipated to below (refer to Chapter 7)

visual intrusion – from the new stops and Project alignment (refer to Chapter 9)

increased commuter traffic (primarily pedestrian) within the local area resulting from the operation of theProject (refer to Chapter 10).

These issues and management measures to mitigate impacts are further discussed in the relevant impactassessment chapters noted above. The operation of the Project is also anticipated to result in positiveamenity impacts for some adjoining land uses through the encouragement of a shift away from privatevehicle to public and active transport options (light rail, walking, cycling etc.) thereby reducing traffic impactson the existing local and arterial network and improving local air quality (refer to Chapter 11).



Impact to existing uses of land along the Project corridor

As discussed in section 2.2.4 of this EIS, the majority of the Project would be contained within the existingroad reserve and central median between Gungahlin and Civic. However, some land outside the existingroad reserve would be partially impacted both during the construction (for use as temporary constructioncompounds) and operation of the Project (for permanent Project elements including the stabling depot andmaintenance facility, substations and road widening works). These land parcels are listed in Table 2.10 ofthis EIS.

The use of these parcels for the Project would impact the following land use zonings:

CZ2 – Business

CZ5 – Mixed Use

IZ1 – General Industry

NUZ3 – Hills Ridges and Buffers

PRZ1 – Urban Parks and Recreation

PRZ2 – Restricted Access Recreation

NUZ1 – Broadacre.

These land uses permit a range of potential uses (other than light rail) ranging from commercial, retail,industrial and open space uses. A majority of these land uses would only be impacted during theconstruction period (as temporary construction compounds). The use of these parcels of land would result ina temporary restriction of the identified potential land use throughout the construction period. Following theconstruction of the Project, these parcels of land would continue to be available for use in accordance withtheir identified land zonings.

Where permanent Project elements (including the stabling depot and substations) are proposed on landparcels, other than those designated as transport corridor, there would be an impact to the future use ofthese parcels. Of these elements, the greatest potential impact to existing land uses would be theestablishment of the stabling and maintenance facility at Mitchell, which would impact on the followingexisting land uses:

IZ1 – General Industry

NUZ3 – Hills Ridges and Buffers.

The development of the stabling depot and maintenance facility would therefore potentially remove the futureuse of this land for the intended purposes currently identified for these zones. However, as noted insection 3.3.3 of this EIS, a Territory Plan variation has commenced for the Project. This variation includestwo proposed elements with respect to the stabling and maintenance facility site. These are:

amendment to the definition of IZ1 – General Industry zone to include light rail depots as a permissibledevelopment on this zone (through the amendment of the current ‘Municipal depot’ definition)

extension of the IZ1 zoning further to the south and amend the boundary of the current NUZ3 – HillsRidges and Buffers zone area and reserve overlay as it appears on the Territory Plan.

Once the Territory Plan variation has been completed, the proposed use of the site as a light rail stablingdepot and maintenance facility would be consistent with the intended use of the land and would therefore notimpact the intended use of these parcels of land (subject to approval of the Territory Plan variation).



With respect to the siting of the proposed substations, these Project elements would be located on urbanparks and recreation land (PRZ1). The development of the substations would reduce the amount of openspace available at each site, however would not limit the ongoing use of the remaining land surroundingeach substation for the intended purpose of open space and recreation.

Potential future land uses within the vicinity of the Project

As identified in section 17.1 above, a number of development sites have been identified along and in thevicinity of the Project corridor. The development of these sites is anticipated to integrate positively with theProject as the light rail would provide a high quality transport option for the future residents of theseresidential developments, in addition to providing access to the proposed retail and commercial componentsof these developments for customers and employees respectively.

A range of further smaller scale redevelopments could occur throughout the Project corridor and broaderregion to take advantage of the improved transport network the Project would provide. These developmentswould also be expected to integrate positively with the Project by providing an opportunity to further developcentres such as Dickson, in line with the current master plan for this area.

Any future developments along the Project corridor and in particular future developments proposed forsensitive land uses, would be required to consider the potential impacts of the Project (subject to approval)on that development and the potential impacts of that development on the Project.

17.4 Proposed mitigation measures and offsetsThe Project has been designed to minimise the overall impact on adjoining land uses. Community andstakeholder consultation is required during the construction of the project to mitigate potential land use andamenity issues, particularly for sensitive land uses within the immediate vicinity of the project. Informationwould be provided to the local community on a regular basis throughout the construction of the project toensure they are adequately informed of the works at any given time. The appropriate sequencing ofconstruction activities would also be managed to ensure that impacts on public land or the local road networkwould be minimised as far as practicably possible.

While construction impacts to properties adjacent to the Project would be temporary in nature, managementmeasures would be required to ensure these impacts do not have adverse impacts on the amenity of theseareas. A number of management measures have been designed to reduce amenity-related impacts onadjacent land uses and are discussed in Chapter 7 (noise), Chapter 9 (visual amenity), Chapter 10 (traffic),and Chapter 11 (air quality).

17.5 Expected conditionsThe Project would be largely within the existing transport corridor along Flemington Road, theFederal Highway and Northbourne Avenue. Outside of the existing transport corridor, the operation of theProject would not impact on existing land uses. Access to all public land and facilities would be maintainedduring the operation of the Project.



17.6 Residual risksBased on the mitigation measures identified in section 17.4, an assessment of the residual land use risksassociated with the Project have been considered (for risks previously identified as being medium or above).These residual risks are identified in Table 17.2.

Table 17.2 Residual land use risks


residual riskrating

Residuallikelihood

Residualconsequence

Residualrisk rating

M.1

Impacts on public property includingfootpaths and open spaces along theproposed alignment as a result ofconstruction of the Project.


M.2Potential for temporary reduction inproperty amenity and value due toconstruction impacts.


M.5 Acquisition of private land for the Project. High Almostcertain Minimal Medium

Note for residual risk ID M.5: The consequence of this risk has been reduced as the potential consequence for Territory land or leaseboundary realignments would be limited to only a small number of properties, in particular the Yowani Country Club,



18. Climate changeThis Chapter outlines a high level review of the risks of climate change and the potential impact to theconstruction and operation of the Project. This Chapter provides a summary of the Climate Change ImpactAssessment prepared by WSP and contained as Technical Paper 11 in Volume 3 of this EIS.

The Project PEA (Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2014a) initial risk assessment for the Project identified the potentialclimate change impacts risks presented in Table 18.1 below.

Table 18.1 Initial climate change impacts risks associated with the Project


N.1

Potential impacts to the Project resulting from climate changeimpacts such as:

predicted increased frequency, severity and duration ofextreme temperature (days exceeding 35°C)

predicted increased frequency and severity of extreme windevents.

Possible Major High


18.1.1 Existing climate conditions

Existing climate conditions recorded for the ACT region between 1990 and 2009 consisted of annualaverage maximum temperatures of 26°C to 28°C, annual average minimum temperatures of 2°C to 4°C,annual average rainfall of between 400 and 800 millimetres and approximately 10 hot days per year(maximum temperatures above 35°C). A comparison of the existing climatic conditions and predicted futureclimatic conditions, including the average daily Forest Fire Danger Index and Severe fire weather days, isprovided in Table 18.2.

18.2 InvestigationsThe climate change risk assessment and risk management approach undertaken as part of the ClimateChange Impact Assessment (Technical Paper 11) has been conducted in accordance with the followingdocuments:

AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 Risk management – Principles and guidelines

SA/SNZ HB 89:2013 Risk Management – Guidelines on risk assessment techniques.

The climate change projections used in this assessment have been derived and collated in accordance withthe Australian Standard (AS 5334) ‘Climate change adaptation for settlements and infrastructure’, whichsuggests that the following six consecutive steps should be applied to determine the climate change contextthat will inform the climate risk assessment and subsequent adaptation responses:

define the greenhouse gas emissions scenario

define future time slices

define the climate variables



selection of climate data

determine other associated impact studies required

obtain past meteorological record.

A detailed description of the above steps is provided in Section 2 of the Climate Change Impact Assessment(Technical Paper 11).

The Climate Change Impact Assessment does not address potential impacts of the construction stage of theProject given its relatively short duration and the potential for climate change impacts are unlikely to causedisruption to construction. As the Project has a long design life, climate change impacts have been identifiedfor both 2030 and 2070.

18.2.1 Predicted climate condition scenarios

Overview

Since 1990 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been collecting, managing andresearching the potential impacts of climate change on a global scale. The IPCC has developed a set ofscenarios to explore potential future climate change using complex, computer-based Global Climate Models.The scenarios differ in their assumptions about future changes in population, economic development, energytechnologies and other factors, resulting in growing differences in the GHG concentrations in the atmosphereand hence the degree of projected climate change.

The IPCC Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES, 2000) identified four scenario families (A1, A2,B1 and B2) that explored alternative development pathways, covering a wide range of demographic,economic and technological driving forces and resulting GHG emissions. In 2007 the IPCC released theFourth Assessment Report (AR4) (IPCC 2007), which used the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios toprovide projections for climate change variables such as temperature, sea level, rainfall and extremeweather. The IPPC Fifth Assessment Report (IPCC 2013) provides updated global projections for a range ofclimate change models and shows that emissions are currently tracking above the high emission scenariosfrom AR4 at a global scale.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Bureau of Meteorology(BOM) have also released climate change projections for Australia that provide updated national andregional information on how the climate may change to the end of the 21st century. The projections arebased on results of the climate system, historical trends and model simulations of the climate response toglobal scenarios of greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions. These projections form part of the predictionspresented in the IPPC Fifth Assessment Report (IPCC 2013). For each climate variable, the projectedchange is accompanied by a rating (low, medium, high or very high) to provide the level of confidence in theprojection, based on the type, amount, quality and consistency of the evidence from the models’ output.

Selection of timescales

Climate change projections are published by CSIRO and the OEH for years 2030, 2070 and 2090.These represent the years for which the majority of climate change models apply, and therefore the years forwhich the most reliable climate projections are available. As the Project has a long design life, climatechange impacts have been considered for both 2030 and 2070.




18.3.1 Predicted future climate conditions

Predicted future conditions are provided in Table 18.2. The following provides a summary of the climaticchanges that are considered likely to affect the Project:

Warming is projected to intensify in the ACT with an increase in average temperatures and a decreasein cooler nights.

Temperature extremes are expected to change, with the annual average number of days over 35°C, inCanberra increasing to potentially twice as many by 2070 without global action to reduce emissions.

Frost risk days (minimum temperatures under 2°C) are projected to decrease across the Murray Basincluster and could halve by 2090.

Average yearly rainfall is likely to stay fairly stable in the ACT, however the rainfall is expected toincrease in summer and autumn, and decrease in winter and spring.

Due to the projected overall increase in temperatures, days of extreme heat and drier conditions, therisk of high fire danger days and bushfire is projected to increase.

An increase in extreme rainfall events, with storm events and wind speeds becoming more intenseacross the region.

Small changes for solar radiation and relative humidity by 2030, with a high confidence there will beincreased winter and spring radiation (related to decreases in cloudiness associated with reducedrainfall) along with a projected decrease for relative humidity later in the century.

Greater detail regarding these potential changes is provided in Technical Paper 11 and summarised inTable 18.2 below. Table 18.2 provides the details of baseline averages from 1990 to 2009 and the projectedclimate changes for the years 2030 and 2070 as modelled by the NSW and ACT Regional Climate modelling(NARCliM) project (NSW OEH 2014).

Table 18.2 Summary of the projected changes for the ACT

Variable 1990-2009 (Baseline) Change by 2030 Change by 2070

Annual maximum temperatures Average 26 to 28°C + 0.5 to + 1.0°C +1.5 to + 2.5°C

Annual minimum temperatures Average 2 to 4°C +0.5 to + 1.0°C + 1.5 to + 2.0°C

Number of hot days per year(maximum temperatures above35°C)

10 + 1 to +5 +10 to +20

Number of cold nights per year(minimum temperatures below2°C)

70 to 90 -20 to -10 -30 to -20

Rainfall

Average annual400–800mm

between 100–300mmeach season

Summer (0% to +5%)Autumn (+5% to +10%)

Winter (-5% to +0%)Spring (-10% to -5%)

Summer (+10% to +20%)Autumn (+5% to +20%)

Winter (-5% to 0%)Spring (-10% to -5%)

Average daily Forest FireDanger Index (FFDI)

Summer (11.4)Autumn (7.2)Winter (2.6)Spring (6.4)

Summer (+0.5 to +1.0)Autumn (-0.5 to -<0)Winter (>0 to +0.5)

Spring (+0.5 to +1.0)

Summer (+0.5 to +1.0)Autumn (>0 to +0.5)Winter (>0 to +0.5)

Spring (+1.0 to +1.5)

Severe fire weather days(FFDI above 50)

Summer (0.8)Autumn (0.2)Winter (0.0)Spring (0.2)

Summer (>0 to +0.5)Autumn (-0.5 to -<0)

Winter (0.0)Spring (>0 to +0.5)

The magnitude of changeis not yet known.



18.3.2 Potential impacts to the Project

The Project may be susceptible to a variety of climatic factors and seasonal variations in climate. As a result,data for the following location-specific climate variables relevant to the Project are presented in Chapter 3 ofthe Climate Change Impact Assessment (Technical Paper 11) and include:

solar radiation

annual mean maximum temperature and summer mean maximum

highest temperature

temperature (heatwaves) – average number of days over 35°C

annual mean rainfall

seasonal mean rainfall

extreme rainfall

rainfall intensity

wind speed

relative humidity

average annual potential evaporation

hail

cyclones

bushfire risk.

An initial risk assessment was completed as part of the Climate Change Impact Assessment to identify keyrisks associated with the Project. A number of potential climate change impacts were considered to have animpact on the Project medium overall risk rating (refer to Section 4 of Technical Paper 11), and are detailedin Table 18.

Table 18.3 Potential climate change impacts on the Project

Projectelement Climate variable Potential climate change impact Overall risk

Tracks Increased annual meantemperature

Extreme high temperatures could cause trackbuckling, which may lead to derailment, andincreased maintenance costs.

More rapid deterioration of the tracks and pointsover time and requirement for frequentmaintenance.

Low

Increased number of hotdays over 35°C Low

Increase in risk of bushfires Low

Drainageinfrastructure

Changes to rainfall (droughtsand intense rainfall)

Inundation of drainage infrastructure, with resultingdamage, service disruption and safety risk. Medium

The projected periodic extreme dry and wet periodswould increase the potential for erosion of substrateand ballast materials, causing increase washout.This could cause infrastructure instability anddisruption in the event of collapse.

Low

Overheadwires

Increased annual meantemperature

Overhead wiring sagging, snagging, degradation,decrease in efficiency and heat related damagewould cause disruption to services, increasemaintenance requirements and safety risk.

Medium

Increased number of hotdays over 35°C Medium

Increase in risk of bushfires Medium




Signalling,electrical andcommunicationequipment


Extreme temperatures may lead to interruptions inmains power supply and reduced functionality ofsignals or equipment.

Heat related damage and material deteriorationwould have variable impacts on the reliability,functionality and speed of signalling andcommunication equipment.

Increase in maintenance requirements and safetyrisk.

Medium

Increased number of hotdays over 35°C Medium

Increase in risk of bushfires

Medium

Structures(e.g. stops,depots andstabling yards)


Exposure to increased temperatures and solarradiation may result in faster deterioration ofmaterials. This could result in more frequentmaintenance.

Passenger comfort could be affected leading toreduced passenger numbers.

Low


Increase in risk of bushfires Material impact from bushfires on structures wouldbe more likely to occur in areas near openbush/grass land and not in more urban and built upareas.

Medium

Bridges andculverts


Impact on structural integrity associated withmovement at expansion joints due to extremetemperatures.

Low


Changes to rainfall (droughtsand intense rainfall)

The projected periodic extreme dry and wet periodswould increase the potential for erosion of substrateand ballast materials, causing increase washout.This could cause infrastructure instability anddisruption or safety risk in the event of collapse.

Medium

Carriagewaysandpavements(hardstandareas)


Extreme temperatures could cause damage and thefaster deterioration of materials (e.g. extreme heatcausing asphalt to melt).


Low


Increase in risk of bushfires Low

Changes to rainfall (droughtsand intense rainfall) Low

In filledexcavations,ballast andsub-grade



Low

Changes to rainfall (droughtsand intense rainfall) Low

Signage Increased annual meantemperature

Exposure to increased temperatures and solarradiation may result in faster deterioration ofmaterials.

Low


Increase in risk of bushfires Medium




LRVs Increased annual meantemperature

Increased difficulty maintaining thermal comfort forpassengers, and increased maintenance from fasterdeterioration of materials.

Low


Increase in risk of bushfires Bushfires represent a human health and safety risk.

Additionally, bushfires could lead to significantmaterial damage.

Low

Landscaping Increased annual meantemperature

Increased incidence of dry limbs becoming a hazardto materials and a safety risk. Low


Increase in risk of bushfires Drier conditions increase the risk of bushfires, whichrepresent a human health and material risk. Medium

18.4 Proposed mitigation measures and offsetsThere are four possible approaches in responding to climate change:

Avoid – avoid locating assets in vulnerable areas

Adapt – design and/or design standards to operate in predicted climate conditions

Defend – install defences at or around critical infrastructure

Retreat – develop and implement plans to relocate from the vulnerable area.

In order to address potential impacts and inform further design and operational considerations, the followingmitigation measures would be considered:

Consideration to designing the drainage infrastructure, bridges and culverts to accommodate increasedintensity of runoff caused by changes in rainfall (droughts and intense rainfall events). Consideration inthe detailed design to adapting or upgrading this infrastructure at a future date. This provides optionsin the future (with greater certainty regarding rainfall projections) to design further adaptation measuresto manage potential increased surface water runoff and localised flooding.

Regular inspections of the infrastructure would be undertaken. Should excessive deterioration beidentified, minor or more regular maintenance activities may be required within the design life of theproject.

Inspection of infrastructure after storm, bushfire or heatwave events would be undertaken to determinedamage and appropriate maintenance requirements.

Materials would be selected to prevent accelerated degradation of infrastructure. Additionally, thedesign would take into account the impact of extreme or prolonged heat events on materials.

Shading would be provided at the stops for user protection and comfort in extreme heat.

Additional mitigation measures which would complement the measures identified above are provided insection 12.4 (water and hydrology) and section 20.4 (bushfire).



18.5 Expected conditionsAs the climate becomes more extreme and frequent in its severity, there are clearly going to be implicationsfor the operation phase of the Project and therefore the expected conditions. While rail infrastructure isconsidered relatively well protected against the effect of climate change compared to other transportinfrastructure, there are some key areas that pose high vulnerability (despite the implemented mitigationmeasures):

Tracks: Various lengths of track would be differently affected by climate change impacts. Problems ofpoor traction would occur during flooding, especially where conductor rails are present. Projectionsshow that Canberra is expected to become warmer, with an increase in the duration and severity of hotspells which may contribute to greater likelihood of rail buckling.

Overhead power lines: Increased summer temperatures would potentially increase the sag of overheadpower cables; possible mitigation measures include using regulated tension wiring to counter thermalexpansion. This may reduce the clearance between various structures, such as between cables andstructures like trees and passing vehicular traffic.

18.6 Residual risksBased on the mitigation measures identified in section 18.4, an assessment of the residual climate changerisks associated with the Project have been considered (for risks previously identified as being medium orabove). These residual risks are identified in Table 18.4.

Table 18.4 Residual climate change risks


residual riskrating

Residuallikelihood

Residualconsequence

Residualrisk rating

N.1

Potential impacts to the Project resulting fromclimate change impacts such as:

predicted increased frequency, severityand duration of extreme temperature(days exceeding 35°C)

predicted increased frequency andseverity of extreme wind events.

High Unlikely Major Medium



19. Hazard and riskThis Chapter provides an assessment of potential risks as a result of the Project and risks to the Project suchas environmental hazard, occupational health and safety hazards and human health hazards.

The Project PEA (Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2014a) initial risk assessment for the Project identified the potentialhazards and risks which are presented in Table 19.1 below.

Table 19.1 Initial planted tree impacts risks associated with the Project


O.1Injury or fatality due to undertaking construction works in closeproximity to sensitive receivers (e.g. schools), majorarterial/regional roads and highly pedestrianised areas.

Possible Catastrophic Very high

O.2Potential impacts of EMF resulting from the operation of thelight rail, including potential impact to sensitive equipmentalong the alignment.

Possible Moderate Medium

O.3 Injury or fatality due to collisions between LRVs andpedestrians within highly pedestrianised areas. Possible Catastrophic Very high

O.4Injury or fatality due to collisions between road and LRVs atsignalised crossings and locations where road traffic would bemaintained adjacent to the Project.

Possible Catastrophic Very high

19.1 Environmental conditions and valuesThe existing environment of the Project encompasses roads and urban areas. There are inherent risks in theexisting environment including:

road accidents

extreme weather

electricity

pedestrian/cyclist accidents.

The Project has the potential to cause a range of hazards and risks during both construction and operationdue to changes to the current road conditions along the Project alignment. The implementation ofappropriate management measures would reduce the likelihood and severity of these hazards.

19.2 InvestigationsA Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA) workshop was held Friday 4 April, 2014. The aim of the workshop wasto undertake initial hazard identification and risk assessment to determine the scope and extent of safety riskpresented by the Project and to develop a list of potential hazards that may be eliminated or controlledduring initial design activity. The PHA focused on a number of areas including:

the integration of the Project with the existing physical infrastructure in Canberra

hazards during construction of the project

hazards during operation of project including impacts to customers, staff and third parties.



19.3 Potential hazards and risks

19.3.1 Construction hazards and risks

Hazards and risks associated with the construction phase of the Project can be broadly categorised into thefollowing three areas:

environmental hazards — including discharge of potentially hazardous or other materials to theenvironment

occupational health and safety hazards — including any activity or outcome that may affect the healthand/or safety of site personnel and visitors due to the failure to implement safe work procedures on site

construction hazards — resulting from the materials required to complete construction of the project,and materials required to maintain plant and machinery during the operation of the project (generallyassociated with the light rail component).

These three areas are discussed in more detail below.

Environmental hazards

Environmental hazards associated with construction of the Project could arise during the transport, use andstorage of hazardous materials on site, as well as the unearthing of contaminated soils/groundwater.

During construction, potentially hazardous materials would be securely stored on-site at the proposedconstruction compounds (discussed in section 2.2.3 and shown in Figures 2.15a to 2.15e) in accordancewith the relevant legislation. The types of potentially hazardous materials that may be required during theconstruction of the project are shown in Table 19.2. The refuelling and maintenance of construction plant andequipment would be undertaken within designated areas at these construction sites.

Table 19.2 Indicative list of hazardous materials potentially required on site during construction

Potential hazardous material Likely method of storage on site

Diesel 20-litre drums and carry cans

Lubricating oil 20-litre drums

Oxy-acetylene Cylinders (up to 55 kilograms) in rack

Petrol 20-litre drums

Cement Bags/pallets (in container)

Premix concrete Bags/pallets (in container)

Concrete curing compounds 20-litre drums

Epoxy (plumbers’) glue Small containers

Contaminated waste Stored in bunded area or removed from site directly

Paint 20-litre drums



Potentially hazardous materials would also be required to be transported to and from construction sites onpublic roads. Spills and leaks during transportation could result in the contamination of land and waterwaysoutside of the project area. This risk would be managed through the use of delivery contractors who arecertified to transport hazardous materials and have adequate environmental management procedures toaddress risks associated with spills and leaks during transportation.

As described in Chapter 13, there are a number of potential sources of soil and/or groundwatercontamination along the project alignment. Construction activities, if not managed correctly, have thepotential to result in the release of these contaminants into the wider environment.

Sensitive environmental receivers such as watercourses, water bodies and flora and fauna may be impactedby potentially hazardous materials used during construction if appropriate environmental managementmeasures are not implemented. Potential discharges to the environment from the construction phase wouldbe managed or eliminated by the implementation of environmental management measures duringconstruction activities and in accordance with the Project CEMP.

Occupational health and safety hazards

Occupational health and safety hazards could arise during construction, where inadequate hazard/riskidentification, reporting and monitoring systems are not implemented and/or maintained. Hazards and risksto human health and safety that could occur during the construction include:

undertaking construction works close to publically accessible/highly trafficked areas (e.g. within/adjacentto pedestrian footpaths within Canberra CBD and the Gungahlin pedestrianised/light rail only zone)

undertaking construction works close to sensitive community facilities (e.g. schools, childcare centresand hospitals)

undertaking construction works within or adjacent to major arterial and regional roads (such asNorthbourne Avenue, the Federal Highway and Flemington Road)

undertaking construction works in the vicinity of existing services and utilities (e.g. high voltage powerlines, gas mains, etc.)

failure to shut down/isolate services and utilities proposed to be relocated as part of the Project(e.g. electricity cables and gas mains)

undertaking construction works close to existing buildings and vibration sensitive structures

encountering asbestos, contaminated land and other potentially hazardous materials duringconstruction (e.g. demolition of existing structures) and associated risks associated with the handing,stockpiling, transporting and disposal of such material

the use and storage of hazardous materials

the use of heavy machinery

works which may impact or restrict emergency access from existing building and/or emergencyvehicles.

Construction hazards

The uncovering of contaminated materials has the potential to result in health impacts to constructionworkers, the environment and members of the community that come into contact with such materials.Without adequate management, the contamination of land and waterways outside of the project footprintcould result from runoff, dust generation, or spills or accidents during the transportation of contaminatedmaterials. The potential for soil contamination within the Project footprint are discussed further in Chapter 13.



Overhead wires and subsurface utilities could also pose construction hazards to site workers and theenvironment. As outlined in Chapter 15, a number of underground electricity and gas mains have beenidentified in the vicinity of the proposed works, a number of which would require protection or relocation.Damage to services and utilities during construction could result in injury to site workers and members of thecommunity. The management of utilities and services are discussed further in section 15.4.

Bushfire hazards such as hot works (activities that generate both heat and sparks), pose a significant risk ofigniting flammable material nearby if these activities are not conducted in accordance with standard workprocedures or other hot works licences/permit requirements. Additional bushfire hazards and mitigationmeasures are discussed in Chapter 20.

19.3.2 Operational hazards and risks

Hazards and risks associated with the operation of the Project would primarily be due to:

the movement of LRVs through highly pedestrianised areas such as the Gungahlin pedestrian/light railonly zone, resulting in the potential for collisions/accidents

potential collisions between road vehicles, pedestrian and/or cyclists with and LRVs at signalisedcrossings or along the remainder of the Project alignment

injury to maintenance staff from activities occurring within the proposed stabling depot and maintenancefacility, or at other locations along the project alignment (e.g. collision with motor vehicles whileundertaking maintenance work adjacent to traffic)

electromagnetic fields (EMF) from proposed electricity substations and overhead wiring

potential damage to Project infrastructure due to vandalism

accidental interactions with the overhead wiring (including during maintenance activities) or damage toProject infrastructure caused by falling tree branches (particularly overhead wiring)

utility failure (power or communication system failure)

the handling, storage, use and disposal of chemicals and other potentially hazardous materials at thestabling depot and maintenance facility and at other locations along the Project alignment (e.g. use ofherbicides on landscaping) (discussed in greater detail in Chapter 16)

natural events (including flooding and extreme weather events) and impacts of climate change(changed frequency of natural events) (discussed in greater detail in Chapter 18)

bushfires (discussed in greater detail in Chapter 20)

external events outside the control of the Project (i.e. events occurring at adjacent facilities).

Key hazards are discussed further in the following sections.

Collisions with pedestrians, cyclists and road vehicles

The Project would result in the potential risk of collisions between LRVs and pedestrians/cyclists, or LRVsand road traffic, particularly where the alignment must cross roads carrying vehicular traffic or wherepedestrians must cross or interact with the Project alignment.

For the pedestrianised section in Gungahlin and at road intersections, LRV drivers would be required to givedue consideration to pedestrian movements, assessing LRV speeds and braking requirements against theirperceptions of actual or potential hazards. On observing a stationary obstacle in path of the LRV, the drivershould be able to stop the LRV by use of the service brake only.



LRVs would also be fitted with warning bells that would only be used as needed such as in the event ofemergencies or where the driver considers there is a danger to public safety (such as pedestrians crossing atrack while approaching or departing a stop). Detailed safety reviews would occur during detailed design toidentify requirements for mitigation to manage and reduce the risk of incidents arising from collisions duringoperation.

The management of hazards associated with the movement of LRVs through the existing road network andhighly pedestrianised areas has been reinforced in many major cities (such as Strasbourg, France and Linz,Austria and Melbourne) through widespread and targeted educational programs and detailed designconsiderations for the vehicles and stops. A similar approach would be applied to managing potentialhazards or risks associated with the Capital Metro Project.

Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and stay currents

Potential EMF sources associated with the proposal include 750 Volt overhead contact wires, buried cablesand to a lesser extent, running rails. The LRVs themselves are also a source of EMF. The magnetic fieldstrengths from electrical LRV operations on the Project are not expected to be greater than for othercomparable light rail systems.

Types of EMF associated with light rail systems like the Project include high frequency emissions, and lowfrequency emissions. High frequency emissions could affect electronic and sensitive equipment. Lowfrequency EMF is considered a health hazard under long term exposure if the emission levels are high.Users of the light rail would only be exposed to LRV generated EMFs for short period of time. Consequently,this poses no health issue.

The Project would be designed to comply with appropriate Australian and international standards, therebyminimising the risk associate with EMF exposure. The only potential issues may arise with sensitiveelectronic equipment located in buildings near the system. The LRVs would be required to comply withinternationally recognised standards for electromagnetic compatibility, and so should not present any EMFemissions issues.

The potential sensitive receptors which may be potentially affected by the Project have been identified asincluding the following:

Capital Pathology

NICTA Canberra Research Laboratory

Orthopaedics ACT (MRI)

Aspen Medical (MRI)

National Capital Diagnostic Imaging (MRI)

Canberra Imaging Group (MRI)

Canberra Dance Theatre (Audio Frequency)

Canberra Theatre Centre (Audio Frequency)

The Street Theatre (Audio Frequency)

Dundunba African Drum + Dance (Audio Frequency)

Robs Garage Rehearsal Studio (Audio Frequency)

SingSingSing Vocal Studios B.M.A (Audio Frequency)

Optus Satellite Earth Station (Audio Frequency)

Radio Station 2CA 1053 AM (Audio Frequency)

ABC Canberra (Audio Frequency)



Community Radio 1XXR 98.3FM (Audio Frequency)

The John Curtin School of Medical Research (MRI).

Stray leakage of currents from the running rails into surrounding earth would need to be minimised, as thiscould cause electrolysis corrosion of nearby buried metalwork. The Project design proposes the running railsare encased within insulating material, ensuring this issue is mitigated.

Appropriate measures would be incorporated into the final design to ensure that electromagneticcompatibility is achieved between the power supply equipment and all other system equipment. Should thelevels of electromagnetic fields not comply with applicable Codes and Standards, the solution to such issueswould involve shielding or similar measures to the affected equipment.

Vandalism and malicious damage to the Project

Vandalism to the Project would represent a potential impact to Project infrastructure during operation of theProject. This would include damage to LRVs (such as physical damage to LRV carriages and graffiti) orpotential damage to stop infrastructure. The Project would be designed to ensure it is safe for customers andusers the Project. The following key safe design features and measures would be implemented (to befinalised during detailed design) that would assist in minimising potential vandalism and malicious damage tothe Project:

a lighting design that would ensure all areas along the Project alignment is lit and therefore safe.This would include appropriate levels of lighting at the stabling depot and maintenance facility atMitchell, where potential for vandalism (such as graffiti) would anticipated to be higher

closed circuit television (CCTV) to enhance security

security measures within the stabling depot and maintenance facility

close co-operation would occur between Project Co and ACT Police in identification and targeting ofoffenders, information sharing, etc.


Construction

A Construction Emergency Response Plan (CERP) would be prepared to outline incident responseprocedures and contingency plans to manage and respond to identified hazards and risks. The plan wouldinclude a process for notifying of environmental and safety incidents as well as contact details forProject Co’s Health and Safety management team and emergency services. A Hazardous MaterialsManagement Plan also would be prepared and implemented, as part of the overarching CEMP, and woulddetail standard environmental management measures to manage the handling, storage and transport ofhazardous materials during construction, in accordance with relevant ACT EPA guidelines and legislativerequirements regarding safe work procedures.

Mitigation measures that would be included in the CERP and/or Hazardous Materials Management Planwould include the following:

Hazardous materials would be managed in accordance with the Project occupational health and safetyplan and relevant Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) and Job Safety and Environmental Analysis(JSEA).

Hazards and risks associated with construction activities would be identified prior to construction anddocumented in the SWMS, including controls to minimise and manage hazards. A process for regularlyreviewing work practices/procedures would be implemented throughout construction to identify reportand respond to any new environmental hazards/risks.



Environmental management measures would be developed and implemented as part of the CEMP toaddress the following issues:

chemical spills and leaks (as documented in section 13.4 of this EIS)

surface and water quality (as documented in section 12.4 of this EIS)

disposal of contaminated materials (as documented in section 13.4 of this EIS)

disposal of contaminated groundwater (as documented in section 12.4 of this EIS)

traffic, transport and access (as documented in sections 10.4 of this EIS)

the management of services and utilities (as document in section 15.4 of this EIS).

Construction worksites located adjacent to public areas would include hoarding (where appropriate) tominimise risks of injury as a result of unsecured debris, tools and other objects.

All work, health and safety legislation would be complied with during construction to remove or mitigatepotential injury risks

Operation

Operational hazards and risks would be addressed through design, the application of community educationprograms, and standard mitigation measures and plans (where required). These measures would include thefollowing:

Targeted road safety campaigns to raise awareness around the operation of LRVs would be used in thelead up to the opening of the light rail and during operation to promote the safe operation of theproposal. This would focus on raising awareness and promoting safe behaviours in shared zones and atkey crossings.

Targeted consultation with identified sensitive receivers listed in section 19.3 for EMF, would beundertaken to inform the detailed design. Any issues identified would be resolved on a case by casebasis with solutions such as monitoring and, if necessary, protective screening at the site of thesensitive equipment.

All cables would be buried within ducts and would adhere to all International and Australian electricalstandards in terms of distances from surrounding cables (i.e. adjacent high voltage cables requireminimum separation in accordance with industry standards).

Storage of chemicals associated with the operation and maintenance of the LRVs would be designed inline with the appropriate EPA guidelines and legislative requirements.

Hazardous material procedures (including procedures for managing spills, and the refuelling andmaintenance of vehicles/equipment) would be developed and implemented during the operation of theproject to minimise potential for impacts associated with chemical spills and leaks. These procedureswould adequately address activities at the site for the proposed depot, as well as other generalmaintenance facilities that would occur along the project alignment.

Compliance with the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator would be undertaken to mitigatepotential injury risks during operation.

Close co-operation would occur between Project Co and ACT Police in identification and targeting ofoffenders, information sharing, etc. where incident(s) occur during the operation of the Project.



19.5 Expected conditionsThe identified hazards and risks for the operation of the Project would be considered during the detaileddesign of the project to minimise their likelihood and severity. Any residual hazards and risks would bemanaged appropriately, as outlined in section 19.4.

A key operational hazard would be the collision of LRVs with pedestrians and vehicles. The proposedalignment occupies the central median from Gungahlin through to the CBD, and as result the project wouldhave minimal interaction with the road corridor and adjacent footpaths. This would limit the likelihood ofcollisions between LRVs and vehicles/pedestrians along the project alignment, increasing the safety forworkers, patrons and road corridor users.

The risk of collisions would be highest at the pedestrianised/light rail only zone in Gungahlin andintersections along the project alignment. The mitigation measures outline in section 19.4 would beimplemented to manage these risks.

19.6 Residual risksBased on the mitigation measures identified in section 19.4, an assessment of the residual hazards and risksassociated with the Project has been considered (for risks previously identified as being medium or above).These residual risks are identified in Table 19.3.

Table 19.3 Residual hazard and risks


residual riskrating

Residuallikelihood

Residualconsequence

Residualrisk rating

O.1

Injury or fatality due to undertakingconstruction works in close proximity tosensitive receivers (e.g. schools), majorarterial/regional roads and highlypedestrianised areas.

Very high Remote Catastrophic Medium

O.2

Potential impacts of EMF resulting from theoperation of the light rail, including potentialimpact to sensitive equipment along thealignment.

Medium Unlikely Moderate Low

O.3Injury or fatality due to collisions betweenLRVs and pedestrians within highlypedestrianised areas.


O.4

Injury or fatality due to collisions betweenroad and LRVs at signalised crossings andlocations where road traffic would bemaintained adjacent to the Project.




20. BushfireThis Chapter outlines the potential bushfire impacts associated with the construction and operation of theProject. This Chapter provides a summary of the Bushfire Risk Assessment prepared by Grant FlemingEnvironmental contained as Technical Paper 12 in Volume 3 of this EIS.

The Project PEA (Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2014a) initial risk assessment for the Project identified the potentialbushfire impacts risks presented in Table 20.1 below.

Table 20.1 Initial planted tree impacts risks associated with the Project


P.1 Potential impact of bushfires from areas adjacent to thealignment impacting on the operation of the Project. Unlikely Minor Very low


20.1.1 Fire prone land

The ACT Strategic Bushfire Management Plan (SBMP) version 3 (ESA 2014a) is based upon a risk bushfirerisk assessment used across the whole of the ACT. This bushfire risk assessment process has been used tomap bushfire prone areas (BPA) across the ACT that has a high bushfire risk. The entire ACT rural area isconsidered to have a high bushfire risk, as are the urban interface areas that are adjacent to forest andgrasslands. The location of BPA‘s which may impact on the Project are shown in Figure 20.1. The mappingof BPAs within and adjacent to the Project impact footprint indicates that the BPAs commence north of thejunction of Swinden Street and Northbourne Avenue on the Project alignment through to Gungahlin.

Development within a BPA requires an assessment under Australian Standards AS 3959 – Construction ofbuildings in bushfire prone areas to determine the mandatory construction standards. This is relevant tosome of the proposed substations and the proposed stabling depot and maintenance facility at Mitchell.

20.1.2 Asset Interface – land use

Land use within and adjacent to the Project impact footprint has been mapped to identify land that has thepotential to carry a bushfire, that is, undeveloped or vacant land that interfaces with the Project alignment(refer to Figure 20.2). Land that is designated as an ACT Park or Nature Reserve, agricultural land orundeveloped industrial or residential land may also be identified in this process. The ability of thisundeveloped or vacant land that interfaces with the Project alignment to carry a bushfire is further defined insection 3.3 of the Bushfire Risk Assessment (Technical Paper 12).

The potential of land to carry a bushfire towards or away from the Project alignment has also beenconsidered as part of the assessment of the Project.



Source: Grant Fleming Environmental, Technical Paper 12

Figure 20.1 Fire prone land in the vicinity of the Project alignment




Figure 20.2 Asset interface land use in the vicinity of the Project alignment



20.1.3 Site conditions

Topography

The local topography including slope and aspect are determinants of the parts of the fire (e.g. head, flank,back) that an asset may be exposed to. The southern portion of the Project alignment is located between theridgetop of Black Mountain Reserve/Canberra Nature Park, approximately 2.3 to 2.5 kilometres due west ofNorthbourne Avenue and Mount Ainslie. The ranges that are typically part of the ACT parks and reservessystem that support extensive vegetation communities have the potential to support large bushfires, howeverthis same potential does not exist for the Project alignment. Lake Burley Griffin forms a natural barrier to thesouth of the Project and beyond the lake there is extensive residential development beyond Capitol Hillindicating that it is not probable for bushfires to spot across the lake from the south. At Gungahlin thetownship is generally protected from bushfire to the northwest due to the presence of Yerrabi Pond,Gungahlin Lakes Golf Course and Gungahlin Pond that extend from the northeast to the southwest, andbeyond these waterbodies by the residential areas of Amaroo, Ngunnawal and Nichols.

Slope

Slope can affect bushfire behaviour with fires burning faster up slope than down slope, in particular whenaligned with the prevailing wind direction. A fire burning up a 10 degree slope will generally spread at doublethe rate of a fire on level ground (Bushfire CRC 2009). Likewise a fire burning up a 20 degree slope willgenerally spread at a rate that is four times the rate of spread across level ground (Bushfire CRC 2009).The majority of the land surrounding the site is comparatively flat with a slope of 0 to 5 degrees.

Aspect

Aspect is another topographical factor that can affect bushfire behaviour. North facing slopes receive moresolar radiation that dries surface fuel faster than on south facing slopes (Bushfire CRC 2009). The generaltopography along the Project alignment is that of a comparatively flat valley floor from Civic alongNorthbourne Avenue to the junction of Federal Highway with Flemington Road. Aspect would have littlepractical impact upon bushfire behaviour between Civic and the junction of Federal Highway withFlemington Road. Some more westerly to north-westerly aspect slopes cross Flemington Road between theintersection of Federal Highway with Flemington Road and Gungahlin, which may aid the spread and run ofa fire towards the Project alignment.

20.2 InvestigationsA desk top assessment of potential bushfire impacts during construction and operation was undertaken aspart of the Bushfire Risk Assessment (Technical Paper 12). The Bushfire Risk Assessment was undertakenconducted with reference to number of existing standards including:

AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 risk management principles and guidelines

ACT Strategic Bushfire Management Plan Version 3 (SBMP)

ACT Bushfire Management Standards

AS3959-2009 Construction of buildings in bushfire prone areas.




20.3.1 Construction impacts

Potential sources of impact during construction

The bushfire ignition risk associated with Project construction, by definition, would generally only exist inthose areas that are capable of supporting a bushfire, as identified in Figure 20.1. While a fire may occuranywhere along the Project alignment including the associated infrastructure and construction compounds,only bushfire was the subject of the risk assessment undertaken. The consequence of an ignition eventoccurring would depend greatly upon a variety of factors including the location of the ignition, availability offuel, fire danger rating at the time of the ignition (e.g. catastrophic fire danger) and initial response to theincident.

Some of the potential sources of ignition of bushfires resulting from construction of the Project are describedbelow:

Hot works – Activities that generate both heat and sparks, which are conducted at the construction site,pose a significant risk of igniting flammable material nearby if these activities are not conducted inaccordance with standard work procedures or other hot works licences/permit requirements. Activitiessuch as welding and grinding would have the potential to result in bushfire ignition. The potential riskassociated with these works would increase when these activities are undertaken in or adjacent to longdry grass.

Construction vehicles and motor vehicles – The risks associated with vehicles (e.g. construction plant ormotor vehicles) include the collision of a vehicle with a power pole or infrastructure that could result ineither a spark, arc from a power supply or fire from spilt fuel being ignited. There is also a riskassociated with vehicles driving through long grass that may be ignited either from a spark or due to thehot vehicle exhaust system. Construction machinery (such as graders or dozers) has the potential toignite flammable material due to the generation of a spark from striking a stone or from electricalequipment on the vehicle.

Interaction with existing services – Excavation associated with the Project has the potential to severepower, gas or fuel lines that are buried and to dislodge overhead power lines, resulting in potentialignition of a fire.

Chemical fire – The inappropriate storage or isolation of incompatible or flammable chemicals frompotential ignition sources including static electricity may cause a chemical fire or explosion. The failureto clean up a flammable chemical spill or address leaking containers could also lead to a potential fire.Flammable chemicals would also need to be secured to prevent arson.

Electrical fault – Equipment used during Project construction, if not maintained in proper working orderwould present a risk of generating a bushfire through a static discharge or arcing of equipment. Thisequipment would include generators, power tools, portable lighting, heaters, air conditioners and anypowered device.

Landscaping – Mulch storage may present a bushfire risk if a large volume of material is stored in alarge pile for an extended period of time. The ability of mulch to self-combust, the production of methane(includes the potential for explosion) under favourable conditions and the potential for arson attack allcontribute to the potential bushfire risk associated with storing mulch. Mulch may be used as alandscaping material or it may be generated during the Project’s construction phase when removing andchipping of existing vegetation along the route.

Further detail regarding the bushfire risk assessment for construction of the Project is provided in Table 18 ofthe Bushfire Risk Assessment (Technical Paper 12).



20.3.2 Operational impacts

A risk assessment was undertaken as part of the Bushfire Risk Assessment (Technical Paper 12).The following sections identify the potential operational interaction between the Project and potentialbushfires and include identification of:

sources of potential bushfire risk

bushfire risks to the Project

bushfire risks initiated by the Project

potential fire runs to and from the Project.

Sources of potential bushfire risks

Power lines

A likely source of for the ignition of a bushfire would occur through with the breakage of wires or poles whichmake up the overhead line equipment for the Project. This may occur as a result of actions such as:

motor vehicles or LRVs colliding with an overhead line equipment pole, causing it to come down

trees or tree branches along the Project alignment causing a breakage to, or arching of, overheadwiring.

Maintenance and repair works

Another potential source of bushfire ignition would be hazards associated with maintenance procedures.These risks are substantively the same as those hazards identified for the construction phase (such as hotworks, movement of motor vehicles, etc. – described above) and would be associated with repair andmaintenance of track and at the stabling deport and maintenance facility as well as repairs to overheadwiring as required throughout the operation of the Project.

Human activity/arson

A malicious act (e.g. arson) is considered to be the greatest bushfire risk threatening the Project, whether theattack is located within adjacent bushfire prone land or at a Project site where the fire may escape to becomea bushfire. Project Co would need to manage security at substations (such as through appropriate securityfencing) and the proposed stabling and maintenance facility at Mitchell to minimise the risk of an arson attackbeing successful.

Other potential causes of ignition associated with human activities would include the inappropriate actions ofindividuals such as discarding lit cigarettes and matches, placing hot metal into a general waste bin or failingto correctly dispose of materials that are subject to spontaneous combustion, e.g. solvents.

Lightning

The potential for a lightning strike cannot be altered, however the potential damage caused by a lightningstrike can be mitigated to an extent and this is reflected as part of the risk assessment presented in theBushfire Risk Assessment (Technical Paper 12).



Bushfire risks to the Project

The primary potential impact of a bushfire on the Project would be damage to Project infrastructure and theremote possibly of injury or death to Project staff (e.g. LRV operator or staff at the stabling depot andmaintenance facility). The Project infrastructure most at risk of bushfire attack includes:

Stops along the alignment – a number of the stop located along Flemington Road including atManning Clark Crescent, Well Station Drive, EPIC and Phillip Avenue as these stops are locatedadjacent identified bushfire prone lands (Figure 20.1).

Stabling depot and maintenance facilities – Bushfires would presents a potential building and propertydamage risk to stabling depot and maintenance facility buildings, including any LRVs stored at thestabling depot during operation of the Project.

Overhead line equipment – overhead wiring would be present along the entire length of the Projectalignment. Potential bushfire risks to this infrastructure would be similar to those that exist for otherforms of above-ground electrical wiring, and would include damage to power poles or overhead wiringitself.

Substations – The substation located at along Flemington Road near Kate Crace Street and the stablingand maintenance depot substation at Mitchell are located within close proximity to vegetated areas thathave the potential to carry a bushfire and are therefore at greater risk of being impacted by a bushfirethan the remainder of the substations along the Project alignment.

With the exception of smoke and ember attacks from bushfires located away from the Project alignment, theimpacts of a bushfire on the Project would most likely be geographically restricted to the Project alignmentinterface areas identified in Figure 20.1 and Figure 20.2 that are north of the intersection of theBarton Highway and Federal Highway. The remaining half of the Project alignment south of this area isclassified as non-fire prone land and is likely to experience insignificant impacts from bushfire.

The southern extent of the Project alignment could come under ember attack from a bushfire onBlack Mountain under certain conditions and that the classification of land as not being fire prone does notprovide a guarantee that the area would not be impacted by a bushfire.

Bushfire risks initiated by the Project

The following section provides a brief discussion regarding the potential impacts a bushfire ignited dueoperation or Project presence. The type of bushfire that is most likely is a grassfire, although woodland doesoccur at the Project alignment interface in several locations but is restricted in its extent. Due to thepredominance of grassland, the heat expected to be generated by a Project related fire is lower than thatassociated with bushfires in woodland or forested areas.

The potential impact of a Project initiated bushfire (subject to the conditions present at the time of ignition)would include:

potential damage to existing infrastructure outside the Project footprint (power lines and other utilitiesservices etc.)

impact (including total property damage) to existing buildings adjacent to bushfire prone land in areassuch as Gungahlin, Harrison, Mitchell and Lyneham

impact to existing habitat and individuals of threatened species which currently occupy identifiedbushfire prone land

potential human injury or fatality.



Potential fire runs to and from the Project

Fire run towards the Project alignment

Fire run refers to a low bushfire risk at the interface of bushland/grassland and an asset. These fire runs arethe most likely location of impacts to the Project during construction and operation. The calculation of fire runfrom a bushfire is based upon the fastest moving part of the fire (called the head) that spreads generally inthe direction of the wind. The fire runs that exist on land that interfaces with the Project alignment and whichcould support a bushfire that could impact on the Project are presented in Figure 20.3.

The most significant fire run towards the Project alignment occurs across the Crace Nature Reserveextending from a westerly direction eastwards towards to the Project alignment and from the TAMS Mitchellwaste timber storage facility (near Crace Hill). This fire run (approximately 1,840 metres) could intersect theTAMS Mitchell waste timber storage facility or enter into the woodland area that extends to Flemington Road.A fire in this area could potentially burn to Flemington Road between Sandford Street and Randwick Road.

A fire run of approximately 1,455 metres extends across the Mulanggari Grasslands Nature Reserve in asouth west to north east direction intersecting the Project alignment along Flemington Road betweenKate Crace Street and Manning Clark Crescent. A fire run of approximately 830 metres also extends fromthe Canberra Riding Club on Randwick Road, south east to the Project alignment at Federal Highway.The alignment of this fire run corresponds with north-westerly winds that are typically associated with days ofextreme/catastrophic fire danger increasing the potential for a bushfire to impact upon the Project alignmentat this location.

Fire run from the Project alignment

The length of fire run associated with a bushfire that originates from the Project alignment can be the samedistance calculated for a bushfire moving towards the Project alignment, with the direction of fire run simplyreversed. However, this approach does not take into consideration the probable wind directions on days ofextreme/catastrophic fire danger.

The longest potential fire run originating from the Project alignment of approximately 825 metres occurs for afire ignition between Lysaght Street and Callan Street on the eastern side of Flemington Road. The hill at thislocation has a gentle slope of between 6 and 10 degrees with a north-west aspect that would aid the spreadand speed of a bushfire at this location. This fire run extends south-east under the influence of a prevailingnorth-westerly wind to Old Well Station Road that would form a fire break, although a much longer fire runwould be possible if the bushfire jumped Old Well Station Road.

Two shorter fire runs occur from the Project alignment in a south west to north east direction across vacantgrassland at Gungahlin. The first fire run of approximately 230 metres occurs on the northern side ofHibberson Street between Kate Crace Street and Hinder Street and extends to Anthony Rolfe Avenue thatforms a fire break. The second fire run of approximately 270 metres occurs on the northern side ofFlemington Road across the adjacent vacant land between Kate Crace Street and Hamer Street in a south-west to northeast direction. These fire runs both extend towards residential areas on the northern side ofAnthony Rolfe Avenue.




Figure 20.3 Length of potential fire runs from the Project alignment




20.4.1 Construction bushfire management measures

A series of potential mitigation measures have been identified to minimise the potential bushfire impactsidentified above during construction of the Project. These measures are outlined below.

General measures

bushfire protection measures and requirements would be included within the site induction forcontractors working on the Project

electrical equipment and other plant and machinery would be maintained in operational order that is fitfor purpose and to prevent potential sparks

all legislative requirements regarding safe work procedures would be met, including chemical handlingand storage

an Emergency Management Plan would be developed as part of the Project which would include detailsregarding communications protocols between the Project and emergency services during construction.

Compound sites

temporary project buildings would to be constructed in accordance with Australian Standards AS 3959 –Construction of buildings in bushfire prone areas

a fire break up to 5 metre wide would be maintained around temporary site buildings (where practicableand not impacting on sensitive biodiversity or ACT registered trees)

where practicable, a 20 metre building protection zone would be identified and maintained clear aroundall new and temporary building footprints during construction. Roads would be included within thebuilding protection zone as part of the separation distance)

trees that are proposed to be retained within the identified asset interface areas would have the lowerbranches trimmed to a height of 2 metres above the ground

the canopy of any tree retained would be 10 metres from any building. Where this separation distancecannot be achieved by trimming branches, removal of the tree would be considered (trees are that aresensitive biodiversity or ACT registered trees would be exempt from this requirement)

gutters and the roof of any temporary site buildings would be checked on a regular basis and cleared offlammable material

weeds would be managed at the site to ensure that they do not constitute a fire hazard.

Hot works

hot works would not be permitted on days when a Catastrophic fire danger has been declared

areas where hot works are to be conducted would be cleared of flammable vegetation and materials inall directions to a distance of 5 metres (where practicable)

a spotter would be used when hot works are conducted in areas where flammable materials cannot beremoved and a fire fighting equipment would be present when conducting hot works

a post work check of any hot works would be conducted after completion

the management of potential impacts associated with hot works would be included as part of the overallEmergency Management Plan which would be developed.



Vehicle use

all vehicles/mobile plant entering site would be fitted with fire extinguishers

motor vehicles would not drive over long dry grass (wherever practicable) and would remain withindefined parking and trafficable areas.

Landscaping

retained vegetation would be watered regularly during the bushfire season to retain moisture, inparticular on days of forecast high or above fire danger

mulch or other vegetation including organic waste would not be permitted to be burnt at any time

mulch would be placed in landscaped areas as soon as is possible to reduce the on-site storage time

stockpiled material would be kept as dry as possible and kept in small piles to reduce the likelihood ofself-combustion.

Waste management

construction waste would be removed from the site in a timely manner so as not to cause a fire risk orobstruct emergency vehicle access

unauthorised access to waste receptacles would to be prevented, i.e. locked covers and/or fencing toprevent public access or fires being lit.

Security

Project Co would ensure the site is secured as soon as is practicable to prevent unauthorised accessand arson attack

a security presence would be maintained along the Project site and would be actively patrolled afterhours during the bushfire season.

20.4.2 Operation Bushfire Management Measures

A series of potential mitigation measures have been identified to minimise the potential bushfire impactsidentified above during operation of the Project. As part of the operational mitigation measures, a series ofproposed additional or revised asset protection zones have been proposed for future consideration.

Design

substations and the stabling and maintenance depot at Mitchell would be constructed in accordancewith Australian Standards AS 3959 – Construction of buildings in bushfire prone areas

where substations are located in a bushfire prone area, detailed design of the feeder power lines wouldconsider the use of aerial bundled cable (insulated) or underground cables in accordance with therecommendation of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission (Parliament of Victoria 2010)

CCTV would be provided at stops to assist in deterring potential arson or other malicious activities.

Landscaping

where trees are in the vicinity of the light rail overhead catenary, they would be maintained to provideclear safety zone. Regular maintenance of overhanging and adjacent vegetation would be undertakenby qualified and experienced arborists

landscaping at the substations and the Mitchell stabling depot and maintenance facility would be designin accordance with Planning for Bushfire Protection guidelines (NSW RFS 2006)



lower branches on pine trees. If present within the Project operational footprint, would be removed to aheight of 2 metres from the ground in declared bushfire prone areas

coarse mulch would be considered for placement adjacent to roadways as discarded cigarettes are lesslikely to ignite this material (FESA 2009).

Asset Protection Zones

Proposed asset protection zone (APZs) (as identified in Bushfire Risk Assessment (Technical Paper 12)would be considered for implementation by Project Co and CMA as part of detailed design and beendorsed by the ACT Emergency Services Agency and incorporated into the Regional FireManagement Plans and annual Bushfire Operation Plans (refer to section 20.4.3 below).

20.4.3 Potential asset protection zones

An asset protection zone (APZ) is defined by NSW Rural Fire Service (2005) as ‘a fuel reduced areasurrounding a built asset or structure.’ An APZ can comprise a combination of perimeter roads, fire trails ormanaged lands so that a fire path is not created between the hazard and the asset. An APZ provides:

a buffer zone between a bush fire hazard and an asset

an area of reduced bush fire fuel that allows fire suppression

an area from which back burning may be conducted

a relatively safe area for firefighters to operate in and allows emergency services access(NSW RFS 2005).

Where forest or woodland interfaces with the asset, the APZ can be made up of an Inner Asset ProtectionZone (IAPZ) and an Outer Asset Protection Zone (OAPZ). The IAPZ is located adjacent to the asset with alow fuel hazard, reducing the level of ember attack, direct flame contact and radiant heat impact, andprovides a defensible space with increased safety under some conditions (ESA 2014b). The OAPZ is a fuelreduced area that is designed to reduce the potential flame length by slowing the rate of spread, filteringembers and suppressing crown fires.

Determination of APZ

Nominally the APZ is located at the interface of the hazard and the asset, however APZs take intoconsideration the nature and spatial location of other assets and both the practical and strategic advantagesin positioning the APZ. For these reasons APZs may not always be established at the interface between thehazard and a particular asset. An example of this process is shown along the Project alignment whereFlemington Road passes through Sections 230 and 231, Gungahlin (proposed construction compound site)that are undeveloped land. The APZ is presently positioned to protect residential properties to the west, northand east of this land. The presence of the Project alignment as an asset may require these APZs to beshifted to improve protection for the Project assets.

The potential positioning and type of APZs associated with the Project, taking into account the location andnature of existing fire management zones, are shown in Figure 20.4 and Figure 20.5. Some minor additionalclearing may be required in order to establish the proposed APZs (subject to discussion between Project Co,CMA and other relevant stakeholders). In the case of grasslands additional mowing or slashing would beundertaken rather than clearing. Where additional clearing is determined to be required as part of anyproposed APZ, the potential ecological impacts of this clearing would need to be considered.




Figure 20.4 Existing and proposed asset interface management zones (north)




Figure 20.5 Existing and proposed asset interface management zones (south)



The ACT Emergency Services Agency would be required to approve the proposed asset protection zonesassociated with the Project prior to finalising these zones. Any additional APZs would be considered duringthe detailed design phase of the Project. CMA and Project Co would engage and consult with relevantagencies regarding the need for and any potential management requirements of proposed APZs prior toimplementation.

Impact assessment of APZs

This EIS does not currently consider the potential impacts of any clearing required as part of potentialfuture APZs. As noted above, any additional APZs would be considered during the detailed design phase ofthe Project.

The potential impacts associated with the establishment and maintenance of any agreed future APZs –predominantly biodiversity but potential visual and heritage impacts associated with the potentialestablishment of an APZ at Haig Park – would be assessed in accordance with the standard ACT planningand approvals process to assess this change to the current Project. This assessment would be undertakenby Project Co prior to commencement of any works to implement any agreed APZs.

20.5 Expected conditionsWhile areas of land north of the intersection of Swinden Street and Northbourne Avenue are declared BPAand therefore considered to have a high bushfire risk, this risk is typically associated with grasslands thatwould carry bushfires of lower intensity than areas of forest or woodland. The comparative bushfire riskwould therefore be more accurately described as moderate across the majority of the grasslands adjacentthe Project alignment from the intersection of Swinden Street and Northbourne Avenue to Gungahlin.

The bushfire risk in the southern half of the Project alignment, south of the intersection of Swinden Streetand Northbourne Avenue through to Civic is low.

Some adjustment/consideration of additional APZs may also occur as part of the existing conditions duringoperation of the Project (subject to discussion between Project Co, CMA and other relevant stakeholders).

20.6 Residual risksAs the initial risk rating for potential bushfire risks was assessed as being very low, no further assessment ofresidual risks has been undertaken as part of the Project.

14. social and economic - transport.act.gov.au

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